The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

Brain surgery to be live tweeted

Author

By John Glenday, Reporter

May 8, 2012 | 2 min read

Anyone of a strong constitution with a curiosity for the procedures that lie behind brain surgery is in for a treat after Houston’s Memorial Hermann hospital announced that it was to live tweet an operation conducted by one of the world’s most eminent neurosurgeons.

The hospitals dedicated Twitter page, @houstonhospital, will relay the delicate procedure as the patient goes under the knife, with graphic pictures being posted in tandem on Pinterest and video footage appearing on YouTube.

The first incision is scheduled to take place at 15:00 on Wednesday, heralding the start of a tricky four hour operation to remove a brain tumour.

Explaining his decision to go public with his work Dr Dong Kim told Mashable: “What will come out of this is a detailed, real-time sequence of what happens in a brain surgery through all the stages from preparation, to shaving the hair, to making the incision, to draping. People are very anxious and want to know what goes on in a brain surgery like this.”

Fortunately Kim won’t be whipping out his smartphone personally to make surreptitious tweets, a dedicated team of tweeters outside the room will relay the info whilst a consultant will be on hand to field questions.

It isn’t the first time that the hospital has embraced social media to publicise its work, an open heart operation performed previously was viewed around 125m times.

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +