A patient surnamed Wang is ready to leave the hospital after undergoing brain surgery. [Photo from Weibo]

Poetry and the stock market keep patient awake during brain surgery

Doctors in the southern city of Shenzhen kept talking to a patient about the stock market and asked him to recite ancient Chinese poetry to keep him awake during brain surgery, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

The patient, surnamed Wang, had a brain tumor close to the motor speech area of his brain. Through conversations about poetry and stocks, doctors at the No 2 Shenzhen People's Hospital could accurately locate the tumor and avoid damaging other healthy brain matter. Wang had surgery three years ago to remove a brain tumor, but it returned, along with epilepsy.

"Only a few places can do this type of operation. It has never been done in Shenzhen before," said Chen Baodong, chief physician at the hospital.

Wang's surgery was a success.

Next up: What's in a name? "Nanda" is one that two universities are fighting over.