History Main / PsychicSurgery

* (Confirm please) Jack Bauer and/or other characters doing something like this on ''TwentyFour''.

* The Medic from TeamFortress2 uses the "advanced technology" variant, combined with WorstAid. This man performs open chest surgery with his bare hands on a conscious patient (who assists in the procedure by "holding his ribcage open), replaced said patient's heart after a "modification" he made caused the first one to explode, left a live bird inside someone's body cavity, lost his medical license after [[NoodleIncident removing a patient's]] [[BeyondTheImpossible entire skeleton]], and provides the trope image for ArtisticLicenseMedicine... yet his ability to give the target of his medigun a temporary healing factor makes him vital to a team's success.

!Examples:

* A fellow with this ability shows up in ''BlackJack''; he tries to claim the moral high ground over Blackjack, but it backfires because he didn't ask the right questions.

** The Tzimisce in ''[[VampireTheMasquerade Masquerade]]'' use this to create {{Body Horror}}s and servants.

* In the DoctorWho EighthDoctorAdventures novel ''The Book of the Still'', the Doctor is rendered BrainwashedAndCrazy by a device that's been inserted into his brain. Fitz is shortly thereafter rendered conveniently [[IntangibleMan intangible]] ([[NoodlePeople among other things]]), and the Doctor instructs him to remove the device for him. Fitz is then somewhat perturbed to find his hand [[{{Squick}} covered in slime]], and the Doctor thanks him "for not taking a bigger handful", which one supposes must mean the Doctor is now undeniably brain-damaged.

* In {{Series/Heroes}}, [[spoiler:Sylar]] heals Charlie's blood clot with telekinesis.

* In {{Series/Heroes}}, [[spoiler:Sylar]] heals Charlie's blood clot with telekinesis.]]

* In {{Series/Heroes}}, [[spoiler:Sylar heals Charlie's blood clot with telekinesis.]]

* A non-fantastic portrayal appears in the Andy Kauffman biopic ''[[ManontheMoon Man On The Moon]]''. Kauffman, in the terminal stages of cancer, travels to the Philippines and undergoes psychic surgury. He sees through the stagecraft.

* In ''IndianaJones and the Temple of Doom'', the head bad guy [[BeatStillMyHeart removed the hearts]] of his sacrifices this way, without killing them.

This far more invasive form of HealingHands can, however, [[LethalHarmlessPowers be used to harm]]. ''[[BodyHorror Badly.]]'' A healer without a Hippocratic oath may pull out a spine to stop an attacker, or squeeze the heart to interrogate. Heck, being able to root around inside a person without surgical implements lends itself to so much {{Squick}} it's best not to think of it. [[supersecretspoiler:Which, of course, [[RuleThirtyFour means someone has]].]]

* In ''IndianaJones and the Temple of Doom'', the head bad guy removed the hearts of his sacrifices this way, without killing them.

Rather than open up the patient, the "doctor" sticks his hand into the patient, roots around, and then pulls it out with the problem [[JustForPun well in hand.]] The best part? [[ScarsAreForever No scars]], barely any blood, and a [[HollywoodHealing complete and instant recovery!]] The doctor may be using PsychicPowers (hence the [[TropeNamer trope name]]), [[ClarkesThirdLaw incredibly advanced technology]], a biological ability of his own, or outright magic. Hence the quotations around the word doctor earlier; the healer in question may not have any sort of medical degree, rellying entirely on instinct or homeopathic/arcane/psychic training. Which is going to make any medical care when he's BroughtDownToNormal... ''[[OhCrap interesting]].''

This far more invasive form of HealingHands can, however, [[LethalHarmlessPowers be used to harm]]. ''[[BodyHorror Badly.]]'' A healer without a hippocratic oath may pull out a spine to stop an attacker, or squeeze the heart to interrogate. Heck, being able to root around inside a person without surgical implements lends itself to so much {{Squick}} it's best not to think of it. [[supersecretspoiler:Which, of course, [[RuleThirtyFour means someone has]].]]

** The Tzimisce in ''[[VampireTheMasquerade Masquerade]]'' use this to create {{Body Horror}}s and serveants.

* Some people claim to be able to perform real [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychic_surgery Psychic surgery]]. The article has a number of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychic_surgery#In_popular_culture media examples of people exposing it as a hoax]]..

* ''TheMatrix: Revolutions'' ends with Neo removing the bullet from [[spoiler:Trinity]] this way.

* The first of ''TheMatrix'' movies ends with Neo removing the bullet from [[spoiler:Trinity]] this way. (I have no idea whether that should be spoilered or not; erring on the side of caution here.)

Rather than open up the patient, the "doctor" sticks his or her hand into the patient, roots around, and then pulls it out with the problem [[JustForPun well in hand.]] The best part? [[ScarsAreForever No scars]], barely any blood, and a [[HollywoodHealing complete and instant recovery!]] The doctor may be using PsychicPowers (hence the [[TropeNamer trope name]], [[ClarkesThirdLaw incredibly advanced technology]], a biological ability of their own, or outright magic. Hence the quotations around the word doctor earlier, the healer in question may not have any sort of medical degree, rellying entirely on instinct or homeopathic/arcane/psychic training. Which is going to make any medical care when they're BroughtDownToNormal... ''[[OhCrap interesting]].''

This far more invasive form of HealingHands can, however, [[LethalHarmlessPowers be used to harm.]] ''[[BodyHorror Badly]]'' A healer without a hippocratic oath may pull out a spine to stop an attacker, or squeeze the heart to interrogate. Heck, being able to root around inside a person without surgical implements lends itself to so much {{Squick}} it's best not to think of it. [[supersecretspoiler:Which of course [[RuleThirtyFour means someone has]].]]

* In ''GreenLantern'', Star Saphire corps member Miri did this between the hearts of ''two lovers simultaneously'', linking the heart of Soranik to restart Kyle's, who had just died.

* The first ''[[TheMatric Matrix]]'' movie ends with Neo removing the bullet from [[spoiler: Trinity]] this way. (I have no idea if that should be spoilered or not; erring on the side of caution here.)

* Some people claim to be able to perform real [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychic_surgery Psychic surgery]]. The article has a number of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychic_surgery#In_popular_culture media examples of people exposing it as a hoax]].