Singer Hypnotized to Sing During Throat Surgery

An African singer gave a performance of a lifetime while under hypnosis.

Alama Kante, a Guinean-born singer, was suffering from a tumor in her thyroid gland and needed to have it removed. But she withheld from having surgery unless doctors assured her that her throat would be protected.

The 31-year-old songstress makes a living singing traditional African songs and any damage to her vocal chords could end her career.

So surgeons in France performed a rather unique surgery in which Kante would sing while under hypnosis so her vocal cords wouldn't be harmed. The operation took place in April and today, Kante says she's fully healed.

"I remember (during surgery) this voice singing all the time, my voice going around in my head because I said to myself it is out of the question that I lose my voice," Kante told Reuters.

Dr. Gilles Dhonneur, head of anaesthesiology at the Henri-Mondor de Cretail Hospital outside of Paris, has been perfecting the technique of medical hypnosis for two years.

"The pain of such an operation is unbearable if you're conscious," he said. "Only medical hypnosis would allow someone to tolerate such an ordeal."

"There was a moment where I really felt pain...and it passed, the pain passed and afterwards it was normal, as if I were in a dream," adds Kante.

Kante's song of choice was quite appropriate for her historic operation -- 'Fight, Never Give Up.'