by Conor Hunt, '12
Do you like saving lives? Do you
have in interest in the brain? If both of your answers were yes, then think no
further! Become a neurosurgeon today!
…Okay, maybe it’s not that easy. And thank God it isn’t! Dr. Erich Anderer,
Regis ’93, sought to correct some common misconceptions about neurosurgeons as
well to inform us of what he devotes his life to.
He began with the most basic question: what does a neurosurgeon do? A
neurosurgeon is involved in the surgical treatment of nervous system disorders.
This is not to be confused with a neurologist, whouses research, diagnosis, and
pharmacology.
But Anderer’s presentation captured my undivided attention when he described
surgery as “somewhat of an art.” Being a surgeon almost demands that you think
outside the box. He gave us an example
of a boy whose head had been impaled by some form of sharp object. The object
had gone deep into his brain, damaging areas in the occipital lobe as well as
the temporal lobe. Where would we perform surgery on the boy in order to
inflict the least amount of damage? he asked us.
After a couple of brief silences and a handful of wild guesses, Anderer
told us that there really wasn’t one right
answer. Since one answer didn’t take
precedence over others, a neurosurgeon would have to look at the situation from
a functional standpoint to determine which route would be the most effective
and least dangerous. But no one way is without risk. A neurosurgeon could just
as easily make an error operating on the occipital lobe verses the frontal
lobe.
And this is where it becomes even more intriguing. The ethics of a
neurosurgeon require that the patient be aware of all the potential risks of
such a dangerous surgery. For example, if a surgeon decides to enter the brain
through the parietal lobe, the patient would run the risk of sensory extinction,
receptive aphasia (the inability to understand speech), and alexia (the
inability to read).
Thus, patients have the power to choose the route of operation that
their surgeons will take. For example, a pilot would most likely want to avoid
any risk of damage to both the occipital lobe and the primary motor cortex. Proper
vision and motor control are crucial for all pilots. As a result, a preferable
route of operation would be through the regions of the temporal lobe. While
hearing damage is most definitely unfortunate, one could still function as a
pilot with such damages.
It was this concept of patient choice that brought Dr. Anderer’s
presentation to one final question: do medical/scientific
advances threaten our inherent humanity?
“Surgeons try to do as little as possible,” explained Anderer, because
changes to the brain can radically affect one’s personality.
While both medicine and surgery can prevent one’s life from
degenerating, it is ultimately a patient’s responsibility to take the steps
necessary for full recovery. All the more reason for surgeons to perform
operations with caution and reverence. It is critical to possess a knowledge of
and respect for what you are dealing with – human life.
Dr. Anderer’s presentation was straightforward, accessible, and most
importantly, candid. He clearly loves his profession and did an admirable job of
presenting a number of issues and topics that are central to his “art.” The
Brain/Mind/Soul Seminar will continue to research more about these stimulating
topics as we move forward into the second half of our year.
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