They made a ‘window’ to monitor the brain.
Jared Hager, a California skateboarder, underwent emergency surgery in April 2019 after a skateboarding accident left him with a traumatic brain injury. During the surgery, half of his skull was removed to relieve pressure on his brain. Originally, doctors planned to replace the skull bone once Hager recovered, but the pandemic delayed these plans, leaving Hager’s brain protected only by skin and connective tissue for two years.
In a groundbreaking procedure, Hager became the first person to receive a transparent skull replacement, allowing doctors to observe his brain’s function with unparalleled clarity. This transparent window not only enabled continuous monitoring of Hager’s progress but also facilitated the testing of innovative brain imaging techniques, such as ultrasound and CT scans.
Dr. Charles Liu, director of the University of Southern California Neurorestoration Center, emphasized the significance of this milestone, particularly the application of functional ultrasound imaging in an awake human subject. By monitoring Hager’s brain activity while he engaged in tasks, researchers gained valuable insights into brain function, which could revolutionize neurological diagnostics and treatment.
The transparent skull window holds promise for providing better information than traditional MRI or EEG scans, especially in patients with opaque bone or conventional skull replacements. Additionally, it could allow for safer and more proactive treatment approaches, such as monitoring patients with electrode implants or other brain surgeries for complications like blood clots.
Published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, this research highlights the importance of patient collaboration in advancing medical knowledge and technology. Hager’s willingness to participate in this pioneering procedure has opened new avenues for exploration in neuroscience, offering hope for improved diagnosis and treatment for patients with neurological conditions in the future.
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