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2007-06-02 19:39:14 · 10 answers · asked by spardateh 1 in Health Diseases & Conditions Cancer

10 answers

Yes they can. Not only can they survive, they can actually prosper. The procedure you are referring to is called
a "Hemispherectomy".

This is a surgical procedure where one cerebral hemisphere (half of the brain) is removed or disabled. This procedure is used to treat a variety of seizure disorders where the source of the epilepsy is localized to a broad area of a single hemisphere of the brain. It is reserved for cases which can't be managed with medication alone.

All hemispherectomy patients suffer at least partial hemiplegia on the side of the body opposite the removed or disabled portion, and may suffer problems with their vision as well.

Most patients who have undergone this procedure will have neurons from the remaining hemisphere take over the tasks from the lost hemisphere by making new neural connections. One case, demonstrated by Smith & Sugar, 1975; A. Smith 1987, showed that one patient with this procedure had completed college, had attended graduate school and scored above average on intelligence tests. Another study done by Johns Hopkins University medical team, reflecting on 58 child hemispherectomies they performed, all the reports showed that most children continued on with little or no change to their memory, personality, and humor after removal of either brain hemisphere. (Vining & Others, 1997)

2007-06-03 19:08:20 · answer #1 · answered by Barry M 5 · 0 0

Yes.

There was even a time when, as a treatment for severe, medication-resistant epilepsy, the affected half of the brain of a patient was removed as treatment. Now what is done to avoid mechanical stress is to simply cut off the connections between the two halves.

What happens is that the person will have partial paralysis and blindness on the opposite side of the removed half (remember, the brain is cross-wired to the body !;-), and may become unable to speak (temporarily; the language center can relocate itself) if his/her language center was on that side.

2007-06-04 08:09:38 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

I watched a documentary about a 9 year old girl that had a brian tumor. No kidding the doctors had to remove half her brain, they showed footage of her before and after and she was still a smart little girl after.
She was a little slower in speech.
They side they removed was in charge of feelings and so on, so she could still learn and relate.
She learned how to adapt feelings by watching other people and reactions, like when you hug there is enjoyment (love).
They showed her at the end of the show as a teenager, she went to school, had good friends and was at the top of her class.
True story - she was amazing!

2007-06-02 19:55:46 · answer #3 · answered by bexfreedom 2 · 2 0

Absolutely. I have had a patient who had only a brain STEM. The rest of his skull was full of fluid. He lived to be an adult. In a dark closet, you could illuminate his head by shining a flashlight in his ear. Seriously.
Oh, and people who have had half their brain removed can adapt.
I have also had a patient who was hit by a train, as he woke up with the train going over him (he was drunk sleeping between tracks) he raised his head. It took off the top of his skull and part of his brain. He was weird after that but fully functional. Another guy was repairing a garage door, one of those huge springs rammed through his head. He drove to where his wife was at to tell her he needed a doctor. The spring was still sticking out both ends of his head.

2007-06-02 22:31:25 · answer #4 · answered by Gnurse 3 · 2 0

At first, my two halves would be exactly the same (other than their looks), pretending that everything in the brain is split equally, because memories make us who we are. But, everything after that split, would make my two halves turn into different people because its impossible that they would experience the exact same thing at the exact same time as each other. For instance my left side would have a hard time doing things my right side could, making it less confident and so on.

2016-05-19 23:20:27 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0 0

yes, just survive! with some disability in motoring his way through life! (brain being a very complicated machine, it depends on which half, what 'switches' are working, which not!)

2007-06-02 19:48:36 · answer #6 · answered by swanjarvi 7 · 0 1

That's more than most use!
Sorry, but seriously, it would depend on which parts were missing/removed, as to which functions would be effected, and the quality of life after that. Only your surgeon/specialist could answer that one.

2007-06-02 19:44:19 · answer #7 · answered by Barb Outhere 7 · 0 1

Well it LOOKS like your doing Ok since you are here asking questions and all,so yeah I guess you can !!

2007-06-03 03:20:40 · answer #8 · answered by jackassdumbassmyass 2 · 0 1

don't be stupid if he survives he will only last a few min before he dies-pick me best but why ask?

2007-06-02 19:49:39 · answer #9 · answered by MusicFan 2 · 0 3

as long as it's not his dick he'll survive

2007-06-03 03:18:50 · answer #10 · answered by shiraz 2 · 1 2

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