South African guitarist perform while undergoing brain surgery

A South African musician with a brain tumour was allowed to play his guitar during a successful operation to remove much of the growth. Musa Manzini was given local anaesthetic during what doctors call an "awake craniotomy" this month at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in Durban.

Dr Rohen Harrichandparsad, one of the surgeons, said Saturday that Manzini's guitar-playing provided "real-time feedback" as the medical team removed most of a tumour while preserving neural pathways.

Harrichandparsad says Manzini was given his guitar toward the end of the hour-long procedure, as doctors checked that everything was in order. A photo and video were taken by the medical team showed Manzini lying with his guitar in the operating room. "There you are, do your thing," a team member says as he begins playing.