In a groundbreaking medical procedure, a 6-year-old girl from Southern California, suffering from a rare brain disease, had one side of her brain deactivated by surgeons. The medical team believes this innovative approach could potentially cure her while allowing her to maintain her personality and lead a normal life.
Brianna Bodley was diagnosed with Rasmussen’s encephalitis last year, a rare condition characterized by chronic brain inflammation that can result in permanent brain damage and the deterioration of motor skills. The young girl, who once enjoyed singing, dancing, and reading, was plagued by daily seizures due to the disease.
Dr. Aaron Robison, a pediatric neurosurgeon at Loma Linda University Health, led the team that performed the 10-hour surgery. Instead of removing part of Brianna’s brain, a common practice in the past, Robison and his team opted to deactivate half of it, a method they believe to be more effective.
Robison explained that simply disconnecting one side of the brain could halt the disease entirely, potentially offering a cure. The procedure involved switching off the non-functioning part of her brain through the brain’s natural opening, known as the sylvian fissure.
Despite the surgery, Brianna’s left side of the brain remains functional and has taken over the responsibilities previously managed by the right side. The medical team anticipates that she may lose some peripheral vision and fine motor skills in her left hand, but they are confident that physical therapy will help her regain these abilities.
Robison reassured that Brianna would retain her personality, even after the disconnection of half her brain. The Bodley family has been documenting Brianna’s recovery journey on Instagram since her successful surgery in late September.
Recently, her mother shared that Brianna was walking with assistance and had managed to stay awake all day for the first time since the operation. The family remains hopeful, with Brianna’s grandmother expressing her eagerness to see her granddaughter return to her usual activities.