Live Open-Heart Surgery

Live Open-Heart Surgery

Credit: Memorial Hermann

On Feb. 12, 2012, cardiothoracic surgeon Michael P. Macris performed the first live "Twittercast" of a beating-heart bypass at Memorial Hermann hospital in Houston. The patient, a 57-year-old man, was not identified for privacy reasons.

Beating Heart Bypass

Beating Heart Bypass

Credit: Memorial Hermann

Surgeons remove the saphenous vein from the bypass patient's leg to use in his heart. (Warning: Some photos in this gallery will be graphic.)

Michael Macris

Michael Macris

Credit: Memorial Hermann

Michael Macris, a cardiothoracic surgeon, conducts a live-tweeted open-heart surgery.

Opening the Chest

Opening the Chest

Credit: Memorial Hermann

Surgeons use a mammary retractor to pull aside the chest wall in order to remove the mammary artery for use in the heart bypass.

Exposed Heart

Exposed Heart

Credit: Memorial Hermann

The exposed heart of a patient undergoing the first live-tweeted open heart surgery.

Brain Surgery

Brain Surgery

Credit: Memorial Hermann

On May 9, 2012, Memorial Hermann hospital in Houston live-tweeted a brain surgery by Dr. Dong Kim.

Live Brain Surgery

Live Brain Surgery

Credit: Memorial Hermann

Memorial Hermann surgeon Dong Kim works to remove a cavernous angioma, a type of malformed blood vessel, from the brain of a 21-year-old woman.

Open Brain

Open Brain

Credit: Memorial Hermann

Twittercasts of surgery allow viewers to get very close to the action — as with this close-up of an open brain during the May 2012 live-tweeted surgery at Memorial Hermann in Houston.

Scoping Out the Brain

Scoping Out the Brain

Credit: Memorial Hermann

Neurosurgeon Dong Kim uses a scope during brain surgery.

Live C-Section

Live C-Section

Credit: Memorial Hermann

On Feb. 20, 2013, Memorial Hermann live-tweeted the process of a scheduled C-section from the patient's arrival at the hospital to the birth of her baby.

Prepping for Baby

Prepping for Baby

Credit: Memorial Hermann

Obstetrician Anne Gonzalez visits her patient on the morning of the c-section. The mother was low-risk and this was her second cesarean, Gonzalez said.

Tweeting a C-Section

Tweeting a C-Section

Credit: Memorial Hermann

As Anne Gonzalez and her team conduct a c-section, Dr. Sherri Levin takes questions on Twitter.

It's a Boy!

It's a Boy!

Credit: Memorial Hermann

The baby boy born by c-section on Feb. 20, 2013 during a live "Twittercast" by Memorial Hermann hospital in Houston.