Doctor Earns Praise After Successful Brain Surgery on Awake Patient
A doctor in Panay Island successfully performed brain surgery on a patient who was awake throughout the procedure.
Recently, Bryna Kimberly Jabines, a Facebook user, proudly shared the achievement of her husband, Dr. Derek Ben Jabines, a Neurosurgeon and Spine Surgeon, who carried out the island’s first-ever awake craniotomy. The post quickly went viral and received numerous reactions online.
A groundbreaking medical procedure recently took place in Panay Island, where a patient successfully underwent brain surgery while fully awake. It marks the first-ever awake craniotomy performed on the island, setting a new milestone in local healthcare.
The procedure was carried out by Dr. Derek Ben Jabines, a neurosurgeon and spine specialist, at the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) on July 17, 2025. The six-hour operation was carefully done with the patient awake the entire time, allowing doctors to monitor important functions like speech and movement as they worked.
The surgery aimed to remove a tumor located in a highly sensitive part of the brain that controls essential abilities. By keeping the patient conscious, the team was able to perform real-time brain mapping, ensuring that no critical functions were affected during the tumor removal.
Dr. Jabines was joined by fellow neurosurgeon Dr. James Mercado from Davao Doctors Hospital.
The operation also involved the expertise of neuroanesthesiologist Dr. Ceres Lucot-Laud and neuropsychiatrist Dr. Paul Christian Sobrevega, who played key roles in monitoring the patient’s reactions and responses throughout the procedure.
The post shows the growing capabilities of healthcare professionals in Western Visayas. It also opens the door for more advanced treatments in the region, proving that world-class medical care is now closer to home for many Filipinos.
In a previous post, a young man sells leche flan to support surgery & education
The social media users expressed their reactions to the post:
