What TV show do you talk about while in brain surgery?
Friends, of course, and Portia Swan was awake through the whole thing
A teenage girl who had brain surgery while fully awake has revealed what the surgery was like — and what she talked about — as surgeons removed the cancerous tumour.
On Tuesday, Portia Swan, 15, became the youngest Kiwi to undergo an “awake craniotomy”. Surgeons wanted to remove as much of the tumour from her brain as possible, without damaging healthy tissue.
Portia “clearly remembers being woken up for the surgery” and spoke “about one of my favourite TV shows, Friends” to her speech specialist and support person during the five-hour operation.
Auckland surgeon Andrew Law removed part of Portia’s skull while she was sedated and then woke her when he was ready to remove the tumour. Having Portia awake to answer questions meant the neurosurgeon knew he was not damaging the part of Portia’s brain responsible for speech.
“It was pretty full-on and I could see a lot of wires and monitors,” Portia said. “When I woke up my speech therapist Anita was right there holding my hand and talking to me which was really comforting.”
Despite the overwhelming situation, Law helped Portia relax: “Andrew was singing and telling some bad jokes,” she said.
Portia could also hear music playing which varied from pop songs to more relaxing music.
“The music was good because it helped me stay calm which was important because I needed to keep my head completely still and not move an inch.”
Portia “couldn’t feel a thing” and was not in any pain because there are
no pain receptors in the brain.
Dad Matt Swan praised Law, who skillfully removed the tumour without damaging any healthy tissue.
Surgeons initially believed there was a section of tumour embedded into the speech and movement part of her brain but an MRI after the surgery showed otherwise.
“They said the MRI did not show any tumour so it looks like he has got it all out which is absolutely incredible,” Swan said.
“They said there could be tiny molecules left so we have to keep the pedal to the metal with the ongoing care but this is amazing news — we couldn’t be happier.”
Law commended Portia’s “maturity and resilience as she navigated this journey”.
“He said he would be there for us if we ever needed him again which is so amazing — what a guy,” Swan said.
Despite the enormity of the operation, Portia looked well with little bruising or swelling, Swan said.
“I said to her ‘You have just been cut open, had bone removed, had a massive operation when you were awake, been put back together and you look so good, you look like you could run a marathon’.”
Immediately after the complex surgery, a sample of Portia’s tumour was sent to Sydney for analysis as part of the Zero programme.
In the next few weeks specialists will analyse the genomic sequencing of the sample and provide Portia with a specialised ongoing treatment plan.
Portia is the first New Zealander to be accepted into the Zero programme, which has seen significant success in Australia. More than 70 per cent of children in the programme have experienced a shrinkage or stabilisation of their cancer.
Swan and wife Penny said the Zero programme findings would be incredibly valuable in making sure any remaining molecules of Portia’s tumour were kept at bay.
The family had started fundraising for the costs of inhibitor drugs and Portia’s ongoing care — some of which will be in Australia. “We are prepared to relocate to Australia for any ongoing treatments with the Zero programme if necessary,” Swan said.