Woman plays the flute during her brain surgery at Houston hospital

  • Anna Henry was wide awake when doctors performed brain surgery on Tuesday
  • She suffers from a hereditary condition that causes hand tremors
  • Doctors at the Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston performed a deep brain stimulation procedure to help reduce the tremors
  • Henry needed to remain awake so doctors could test if it was working
  • She played the flute mid-surgery to test her abilities 

A patient at a Texas hospital has managed to play the flute for doctors while she was undergoing major brain surgery.

Anna Henry, who is a professional flute player, was wide awake when doctors operated on her at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston on Tuesday. 

She suffers from a hereditary condition that causes hand tremors, which can affect her ability to play the flute. 

 

Anna Henry, who is a professional flute player, was wide awake when doctors operated on her brain at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston on Tuesday

Doctors performed a deep brain stimulation procedure, which involves planting electrodes, in a bid to help reduce the tremors.

Henry needed to remain awake so doctors could test if the electrodes were working.

She played the flute mid-surgery to test her abilities. 

In a video shot by a hospital staff member, doctors and nurses can be seen applauding for Henry when she finishes playing. 

Henry needed to remain awake so doctors could test if the deep brain stimulation procedure they were performing was working 

Henry needed to remain awake so doctors could test if the deep brain stimulation procedure they were performing was working 

She played the flute mid-surgery to test her abilities and see if the tremors had been reduced

She played the flute mid-surgery to test her abilities and see if the tremors had been reduced

Henry told KHOU that she had been dealing with tremors since she was a girl but it had progressively gotten worse in recent years and started to affect her music. 

‘I can fight it, but I’m tired of doing it. And it is getting worse. I know it’s a matter of either admitting I can’t do it anymore, or doing this (surgery) so that I can,’ she said.  

‘I’m just very grateful there’s this opportunity to do something about it.’ 

The deep brain stimulation procedure Henry underwent is often used to treat people with Parkinson’s Disease. 

Henry, pictured on left, is a professional flute player. She said she has suffered from tremors since she was a girl but they've only just started affecting her music abilities 

Henry, pictured on left, is a professional flute player. She said she has suffered from tremors since she was a girl but they’ve only just started affecting her music abilities 

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