{"id":"c4916895-dba9-4765-a6d9-92ec07ea0bd1","slug":"awake-brain-surgery-for-autistic-patients-is-it-possible","title":"Awake brain surgery for autistic patients: Is it possible?","authors":["Evangelos Drosos","Helen Maye","Amir Saam Youshani","Sheeba Ehsan","Cally Burnand","Pietro Ivo D’Urso"],"abstract":"Background: Awake neurosurgery is currently the mainstay for eloquent brain lesions. Opting for an awake operation is affected by a number of patient-related factors. We present a case of a patient with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) that was successfully operated for a brain tumor through awake craniotomy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case in the literature. Case Description: A 42-year-old patient, with known ASD since his childhood, underwent awake craniotomy for a left supplementary motor area tumor. Detailed preoperative preparation of the patient was done to identify special requirements and establish a good patient-team relationship. Intraoperatively, continuous language and motor testing were performed. Conversation and music were the main distractors used. Throughout the operation, the patient remained calm and cooperative, even during a focal seizure. Mapping allowed for >80% resection of the tumor. Postoperatively, the patient recovered without any deficits. Conclusion: This case shows that with growing experience and meticulous preparation, the limits of awake craniotomy can be expanded to include more patients that were previously considered unfit.","thumbnailUrl":"https://sni-digital-videos.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/c4916895-dba9-4765-a6d9-92ec07ea0bd1/featured/hero-1781560710946.png","publishDate":"2022-11-18T00:00:00.000Z","doi":"10.25259/SNI_719_2022","categories":["Neuro-oncology","Case Report"],"fullTextUrl":"https://surgicalneurologyint.com/api/articles/c4916895-dba9-4765-a6d9-92ec07ea0bd1/pdf"}