Absurd Adventure And Amygdalectomy Advocacy

Daniel Böttger, a former neuroscientist, recently underwent an open craniotomy in 2024 to remove an astrocytoma the size of his fist. During the surgery, collateral damage included the right-side amygdala, part of his hippocampus, and a significant portion of his temporal cortex, including the right-side primary auditory cortex.

He was then subjected to high-powered photons at X-ray wavelengths to blast the remains of the tumor with radiotherapy. Despite the minor collateral damage to his brain, doctors were so concerned about the health insurance costs that they paid for taxi rides to return home after the near-daily radiation treatments for weeks.

Böttger's case study involved participating in a unique experimental treatment, combining two of the most powerful chemotherapy drugs that could cross the blood-brain barrier. This combination had previously only been tested on 72 patients with glioblastomas, a more aggressive type of brain cancer. He eagerly accepted the offer, expecting a quarter increase in his life expectancy compared to standard care.

However, the chemo and major surgery led to a string of follow-up neurosurgeries, each necessary to repair a shortcoming of the previous one. One of these surgeries required the removal of a triangular piece of his skull, which had a population of bacteria growing on the inside, leading to an abscess inside the brain cavity. This necessitated the replacement of the bone triangle with a customized 3D-printed piece of polymethylmethacrylate bone cement.

Shortly after this procedure, Böttger developed a big swelling on his right forehead below the wound, which grew enough to squeeze his right eye shut. This prompted neurosurgery number three. A few weeks later, he experienced signs of brain overpressure from too much cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which can cause strokes and death. He had a fifth neurosurgery to receive a shunt, a valve and pipe system that would drain the excess CSF to his gut.

However, Böttger refused the surgery, as the swelling wasn't growing, and he trusted his understanding of hydraulics over the neurosurgeons' explanations. On February 8, 2025, he awoke while a large fountain of body fluids was erupting from his scalp, revealing that the swelling was actually an unusually large seroma filled with serosanguineous exudate.