History Main / PsychicSurgery

* James Randi appeared on ''Series/TheTonightShow'' to demonstrate the hoax to Johnny Carson. He pulls out several pieces of chicken guts and jokingly put some "back in" because the patient would need them.

Rather than open up the patient, the "doctor" sticks their 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, relying entirely on instinct or homeopathic/arcane/psychic training. Which is going to make any medical care when they're BroughtDownToNormal... ''[[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome interesting]].''

Despite [[TVNeverLies what TV teaches us]], medicine isn't always [[CleanPrettyReliable clean, pretty and reliable]]. It can be messy, and surgery is no picnic. There's also the risk to life, need for equipment and a sterile environment, aftercare, and a doctor to perform it. Some characters luck out though, their HeroInsurance covers [[TitleDrop Psychic Surgery]].

*
''Series/StarTrekVoyager''

* In ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', a homicidal [[ProjectedMan hologram]] uses this to attack Be'lanna Torres at one point.

Rather than open up the patient, the "doctor" sticks their 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, relying entirely on instinct or homeopathic/arcane/psychic training. Which is going to make any medical care when they're BroughtDownToNormal... ''[[RealityEnsues interesting]].''

* A skill associated with [[MindOverMatter Blue mana]] in ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'', including a [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=214347 card with that name exactly.]]

[[quoteright:350:[[Franchise/GreenLantern https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/GreenLanternPsychicSurgery_4636.jpg]]]]

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

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. (Which, of course, [[RuleThirtyFour means someone has]].)

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* In the ''ComicBook/XMen'' spinoff trade ''X-Men Legacy'' uberpowerful telekinetic and KnightTemplar Exodus uses this to save Charles Xavier after Bishop subjected him to a BoomHeadshot at the end of ''Messiah Complex''. Despite being barely alive and most of his brain matter being reduced to pulp, Exodus was able to heal Xavier completely by telekinetically reassembling his brain atom by atom.

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* In ''The Matrix'' and ''Supernatural'' slashfic crossover ''Fanfic/HuntingSeries'' during the second part ''The First Hunt'' Smith uses this to heal Neo who gets badly injured because of a vampire, after the hunt with Dean goes wrong.

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* Gerard the Lightbringer from ''Literature/SeekersOfTheSky'' cures cancer by removing all bad cells from a body with his Word (a psychic power that allows to store and retrieve any objects in another dimension; for the rest of humanity, though, it's impossible to store ''still living'' objects using their Words). Notably, he is himself unaware that he is using the Word and believes that {{God}} cures his patients using him as conduit.
* ''Literature/TheBlackMagicianTrilogy'''s healing magic works precisely this way - by making skin contact and re-arranging internal organs, putting bones together, and flushing out poisoned blood via the nearest available cut made by the healer. Using it offensively is theoretically possible, but wizards have access to far easier ways to kill non-wizards, and conscious wizards can easily maintain an 'inner shield' that blocks it, so in practice it isn't done. [[spoiler: Then the Sachakans invade and turn out to, while in possession of immense raw magical strength due to their use of BloodMagic, never have developed the healing technique... meaning they don't know to keep up the inner shield.]]
* In ''Literature/OneHundredYearsOfSolitude'', [[spoiler: Fernanda del Carpio]] mantains contact with a group of supposed "psychic medics" who tell her that they'll telepathically operate on her. At some point, after arranging her room in a specific way and leaning down on her bed, [[spoiler:Fernanda]] feels someone pressing a cold handkerchief to her mouth and passes out. When she wakes up she has a big ass scar on her torso... and there's a letter from the "psychic medics" near her table, saying that they ''did'' operate on her but the only thing they found wrong was a simple uterine problem that could be easily solved by a pessary. Turns out, [[spoiler: Fernanda]] was so prudish while describing her symptoms, [[PoorCommunicationKills she misguided both the psychic medics and herself into believing her illness was something way worse.]]

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* Powers of this name existed in the 2nd and 3rd editions of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. They couldn't heal hit point damage, but could fix auras, trauma, curses, implanted compulsions, and so forth.

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* In ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', [[GoodPowersBadPeople Kirei Kotomine]] is known for being particularly skilled at psychic surgery, and he taught at least the basics to Rin. While his techniques [[LethalHarmlessPowers can be used to kill people]], they require too much time and concentration to use in combat. Prior to the events of the story Kotomine uses these abilities to [[spoiler:steal the Command Spells of Lancer's Master and transfer them to himself]], and in the ''Heaven's Feel'' route he also uses them to tend to Sakura. [[BleachedUnderpants In the later "all-ages" versions of the story]], some "energy transfer" scenes that were originally [[DeusSexMachina performed through sex]] are replaced by Rin using psychic surgery to transplant part of Shirou's Magic Circuits to Saber (''Fate''), or part of her own Magic Crest to Shirou (''Unlimited Blade Works'').

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* Elena and Beluna from Manga/TheVoynichHotel can do this, [[spoiler: as they're a centuries-old witch (Elena) and a re-creation of said witch's sister (Beluna).]] It certainly comes handy when one needs to either [[spoiler: put back together the limbs of a gir who's been torn apart]], relive a hangover, or [[spoiler: heal the injuries of a man who was subjected to ColdBloodedTorture.]]

* In the ''Literature/DreambloodDuology'', Sharers heal injuries and maladies through the {{Dream Weav|er}}ing of narcomancy by leading the patient into a dream that symbolizes their affliction, empowering it with magical dream-humours, and helping them resolve the dream in a way that represents them being healed. In one tricky case, Hunandi heals a disemboweled soldier by getting him to let go of his SurvivorsGuilt.

* The Medic from ''VideoGame/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, and lost his medical license after [[NoodleIncident removing a patient's entire skeleton]]... yet his ability to give the target of his medigun a temporary healing factor makes him vital to a team's success.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Elfquest}}'', the [[HealingHands healers' powers]]. The negative use is also shown, with corrupted former healer Winnowill, who [[BodyHorror creates twisted monsters]] [[InvoluntaryShapeshifting through shaping them against their will]]. However some, like Tyldak (who she gives wings) [[VoluntaryShapeshifting asked her to do it]].

* A self-healing version of this is used by the villainess Lucifer in ''Anime/AngelCop''. She reaches inside her own body to set some broken bones; she's also seen plunging her fingers straight into an enemy's head.

* ''Literature/TheBlackMagicianTrilogy'''s healing magic works precisely this way - by making skin contact and re-arranging internal organs, putting bones together, and flushing out poisoned blood via the nearest available cut made by the healer.

* The Medic from ''VideoGame/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 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.

* A skill associated with [[MindOverMatter Blue mana]] in ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'', including a [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=214347 card with that name exactly]].

* 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]].

& Trafalgar Law's Op-Op Fruit from ''Franchise/OnePiece'' gives him an ability that is similar to this, although limited to a space he himself conjures called Room. The power is very close to RealityWarper status, being able to mess with people's bodies through medical operation techniques that don't hurt or kill, most of the time.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Elfquest}}'', the [[HealingHands healers' powers]]. The negative use is also shown, with corrupted former healer Winnowill, who [[BodyHorror creates twisted monsters]] [[InvoluntaryShapeshifting through shaping them against their will]]. Others, like Tyldak, who she gives wings, [[VoluntaryShapeshifting asked her to do it though]].

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* In ''The Matrix'' and ''Supernatural'' slashfic crossover ''Fanfic/HuntingSeries'' during the second part ''The First Hunt'' Smith uses this to heal Neo who gets badly injured because of a vampire, after the hunt with Dean goes wrong.

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* Mentioned but not used in ''TheDragonDoctors'', a team of magical doctors. They were discussing possible options for removing an all-consuming sentient cancer from a patient. The problem was that psychic surgery requires bare hands, so getting rid of it with psychic surgery was out of the question.

* One of Tyki Mikk's powers in DGrayMan, where he kills exorcists by pulling their organs out. And he also almost [[spoiler: kills [[BigGood Allen Walker]] by putting his flesh-eating pet butterflies into his chest to ''bite a hole in his heart'']]