The same television producer behind Real Housewives of New Jersey and Pawn Stars is preparing to do a live broadcast of a brain surgery being performed at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, despite concerns of medical experts, the Boston Globe reports.
The patient undergoing the surgery is 49-year-old Greg Grindley, who suffers from severe tremors caused by Parkinson’s disease. Neurosurgeons performing Mr. Grindley's procedure will be implanting electrodes deep in the brain while more than a dozen cameras film.
The procedure will be performed by Jonathan Miller, MD, and Jennifer Sweet, MD.
A University Hospitals’ spokesman argues the telecast will help shine a light on an important treatment for Parkinson’s disease and that the patient's care will be of primary importance.
Other medical experts argue the practice of broadcasting surgeries is both risky and exploitative, according to the report. Some surgical societies have gone so far as to ban the practice.
"It's hard to say we are getting serious about patient safety when putting on circus acts like live brain surgery," Duke Cameron, MD, the cardiac surgeon-in-charge at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, told the Boston Globe. “This kind of behavior is absurd.”
Dr. Cameron argues operating teams can be distracted by filming and commercial and promotional interests can compromise patient safety.
The executive producer of the National Geographic channel told the Boston Globe the producers will not interfere with the medical team, who will be able to terminate the broadcast at any point.
The show, "Brain Surgery Live," is scheduled to air on National Geographic at 9 p.m. ET Sunday.