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🇬🇧 United Kingdom /Health & Science

London surgeons use AI to remove brain tumor, saving patient's sight

From The Guardian · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • Neurosurgeons in London successfully performed the world's first AI-assisted operation to remove a brain tumor.
  • The AI system analyzed live camera footage, helping surgeons identify and avoid critical nerves and blood vessels, preserving the patient's sight.
  • The patient has recovered and returned to work, highlighting the potential of AI in improving patient care during delicate procedures.

Neurosurgeons in London have achieved a world first, successfully removing a brain tumor using artificial intelligence assistance. The groundbreaking surgery, performed in May at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), saved the sight of 48-year-old Rhys Hibbert.

When I came round … I could see everything in the room clearly.

— Rhys HibbertThe patient described his immediate post-operative experience.

While the surgical team maintained full control, an AI system analyzed live camera feeds during the operation. It identified key structures like nerves and blood vessels near the 11mm tumor on Hibbert's pituitary gland, which needed to be avoided. This real-time analysis helped surgeons navigate the delicate procedure, where even minor errors could lead to blindness, stroke, or death.

It feels like I’ve got a 360‑degree panoramic view of everything around me.

— Rhys HibbertThe patient described his improved vision after the surgery.

Hibbert, who has since returned to his job as a customer service manager, described his recovery as remarkable. "When I came round … I could see everything in the room clearly," he stated, noting he could walk independently within a week. He now feels he has a "360-degree panoramic view of everything around me."

By learning from hundreds of surgical videos, [the system] has been exposed to a breadth of surgical examples that would take a surgeon many years to encounter.

— Dr Sophia BanoThe technical lead for the AI system explained its learning capabilities.

The AI technology, developed at University College London (UCL), learns from hundreds of surgical videos to recognize critical anatomy and surgical instruments in real time. This was the first time the hospital, which pioneered neurosurgery in 1859, used the technology on a patient, having previously employed it as a research tool. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded the operation as part of a clinical trial, recognizing the potential of advanced AI to support surgeons and enhance patient outcomes.

It is designed to help recognise critical anatomy, surgical instruments and tissue interactions in real time, supporting the surgeon during highly delicate procedures.

— Dr Sophia BanoThe technical lead for the AI system explained its function during surgery.
About this summary

Originally published by The Guardian in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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