Swifty’s singing keeps brain surgery on track

Editor's Note

Staying awake during brain surgery to sing Taylor Swift songs helped ensure the best possible outcome for Selena Campione, a 36-year-old teacher from Stanhope, New Jersey who recently had a tumor removed at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

As detailed in a March 21 report from People, neurooncologist Nitesh V Patel, MD of the Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute used a technology called Quicktome Connectomics to preserve the patient’s speech by conducting a craniotomy while she was awake. This FDA-approved brain mapping lights up areas associated with complex function—in this case, singing—to show surgeons which areas of the brain to keep intact during the procedure.  

“Singing allows me to continuously monitor a patient's speech, cadence, and rhythm without interruptions and pauses that happen during a conversation,” Dr. Patel said.