Miri Hospital successfully performs first awake brain surgery to remove tumour from patient

The surgical team of Miri General Hospital performing the region's first awake brain surgery to remove tumour on a patient on March 11, 2026. Photo credit Miri Hospital with consent from patient and family

By DayakDaily Team

MIRI, March 17: : In a groundbreaking achievement for Northern Sarawak, a surgical team at Miri General Hospital successfully removed a brain tumour from a patient during the region’s first-ever awake brain surgery, marking a major step in bringing advanced neurosurgical care closer to home.

On March 11, Consultant Neurosurgeons Dr Manvinder Singh Mangat and Dr Lim Swee San, supported by a dedicated multidisciplinary team, including Neuro Anesthetist Dr Peter, Neurophysiologist Mr Khalid, and the skilled Miri OT team, performed an Awake Craniotomy with Electrocorticography (ECoG) and functional mapping to safely remove a low-grade tumour from the patient’s critical speech centre.

The patient, who had been experiencing seizures, remained awake during the procedure, allowing the surgical team to monitor speech in real time and ensure maximum tumour removal without affecting vital brain functions.

“We are grateful to share that the procedure was successful, and the patient was discharged home healthy just two days later with no speech deficits,” Miri Hospital said in a post shared on its social media yesterday (March 16).

The multidisciplinary surgical team, led by Consultant Neurosurgeons Dr Manvinder Singh Mangat and Dr Lim Swee San, in the operating theatre of Miri Hospital on March 11, 2026.

Miri Hospital emphasised that this is a significant milestone for the people of Northern and Central Sarawak as previously, patients needing such complex neurosurgery had to travel to Kuching or even Kuala Lumpur, which was costly and disruptive for families.

“This milestone means world-class care is now more accessible locally, while patients and families can stay closer to home during challenging times as Miri General Hospital continues its journey towards providing quality, advanced neurosurgery services for the region.”

The procedure builds on years of expertise developed at Miri Neurosurgical Services, established by Dr Mangat in 2018 under the guidance of former head of Neurosurgical Services Sarawak Dr Albert Wong. The team handles over 500 cases annually, covering brain tumours, spine, and vascular surgeries, and has quietly served thousands who once had to travel south to Kuching for care.

Miri Hospital also highlighted that the pioneering work at the Neurosurgical Department, Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), which has performed more than 15 awake craniotomies since 2017, has laid the foundation for this local achievement.

The hospital expressed gratitude to the entire Miri Neurosurgical team, OT staff, speech therapists, and hospital director for their support.

“This is not just a surgical milestone, it is a reminder that when we work together, complex care can be delivered closer to home. Gone are the days when Sarawakians from the northern region had to travel far for life-changing brain surgery. Still much to learn, many to serve, and greater heights to reach—together.”

With this milestone, Miri General Hospital continues its journey toward becoming a hub for advanced neurosurgical services in Northern Sarawak, ensuring that Sarawakians no longer need to travel far for world-class brain surgery. — DayakDaily