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Teen Survives Record Brain Surgery While Awake
23 Jul
Summary
- Tilly Phillips, 15, had world's youngest conscious brain surgery.
- Operation treated fatal arteriovenous malformation with 12-hour procedure.
- Surgeons woke Tilly for 30 minutes to map brain functions in real time.
A 16-year-old girl, Tilly Phillips, has made history as the youngest known patient to undergo a conscious craniotomy. The 15-year-old underwent the 12-hour procedure at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool to treat a critical arteriovenous malformation. This abnormal tangle of blood vessels posed a fatal risk and caused frequent seizures.
During the surgery, surgeons briefly woke Tilly for approximately 30 minutes. This allowed them to precisely map brain regions controlling speech, movement, and vision in real-time, safeguarding essential tissue. Although Tilly has no memory of being awake, she was reportedly coherent and engaged with medical staff.
Following the surgery, Tilly experienced temporary memory and word-finding difficulties, which have since improved with therapy. The procedure has dramatically reduced her seizures, with follow-up scans confirming the successful treatment of the malformation. Tilly described the experience as empowering, appreciating the control she had over her treatment.
