Doctor has heart attack while performing brain surgery, refuses to quit until operation is finished

An Italian doctor completed a brain operation despite having a heart attack after realizing his patient would never recover if he stopped the surgery.

Surgeon Claudio Vitale started feeling pains in his chest half way through the operation but refused to stop despite his team's urging and the pain worsening.

After finishing the surgery, the doctor had an angioplasty operation to treat his attack.

Vitale insists he's not a hero, but that he couldn't leave the patient "at such a delicate moment."

Both doctor and patient are recovering.