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| The surgery team could speak to the patient throughout the operation |
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Surgeons have carried out open-heart surgery on a patient who was wide awake throughout the procedure - giving hope of reducing the risks of complex operations.
Catholic priest Father Bolmax Periera had an epidural injection into his spine so he could not feel anything below his neck.
But he could sense surgeons pushing and pulling inside his chest cavity and hear them talking about the operation's progress.
The priest told Sky News before the operation: "I feel excited about it. It is interesting that I will be awake during surgery.
"Maybe I will be able to see my own heart."
In fact, a sheet shielded Father Periera from seeing the gore of his own operation.
While surgeons at the Fortis Hospital in Bangalore replaced a defective heart valve, Fr Periera was able to speak to the anaesthetist.
At one point, the priest even asked for a pillow.
Wide awake heart surgery allows doctors to monitor the patient's brain, as there is a risk that small fragments can break off inside the arteries and flow up to the brain, causing a stroke.
But, by talking to the patient they are able to get an early warning for any problems.
There are hi-tech machines for neurological monitoring, however they are expensive.
As a result, the technique's pioneers believe fully-conscious operations will become more common.
Surgeon Dr Vivek Jawali said: "My refusal rate for wide awake surgery is 4%, if patients understand the scientific advantages, they don't refuse.
"They are very comfortable on the (operating) table - I did not even put any music on his ears, he was listening to what we were talking about."
The surgeons spoke in hushed tones and were careful over what they said during Fr Periera's procedure - in contrast to the banter normally heard in operating theatres.
Within an hour of the operation, and because his throat had not been scraped by a ventilation tube, the patient was able to drink a cup of tea.
"One thing I heard them say is, 'This is the heart,' so I knew my heart was wide open," Fr Periera said.
"It was very nice to know that my heart was wide open, but I could not see it."
SKYNEWS
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