Intensive Seven-Hour World-Class Surgery

Our crew filmed in Italy, working with Spike clients and global brand leader LMA Laryngeal Mask Airway to film one of the most critical medical procedures – the Awake Craniotomy (open brain surgery) to remove a brain tumour. 

This procedure involves the patient being put to sleep with a general anaesthetic while the surgeons gain access to the brain, then the patient is brought back to a conscious state while the delicate removal of the tumour is carried out. Throughout the procedure speech specialists communicate with the patient to monitor any deterioration of speech patterns which would signal potential damage to the brain. This film explains why the LMA Supreme is the tool of choice for this type of complex procedure, focusing on the anaesthetics team and how they manage the patient’s conscious state and pain control.

Cameraman Tom said: “Before we started filming I was very nervous about how I would react to seeing a live brain – but as soon as the patient was wheeled in I swung into action and there was no time for feeling nervous. During the seven-hour procedure there were about 20 people in the room performing various essential tasks – and one Australian cameraman trying to stay out of the way whilst capturing all the action! The Italian neurosurgery team were absolute professionals and it was a career highlight for me to see them in action.”

But be warned – this film is a medical case study and contains some graphic surgical footage.