British surgeons remove brain tumor using AI for the first time in the world
British neurosurgeons have become the first in the world to use artificial intelligence to remove a brain tumor in real time. Rhys Hibbert, 48, had a tumor on his pituitary gland that was pressing on his optic nerves and threatening to blind him.
British surgeons have performed the world's first artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted brain tumor removal operation. Neurosurgeons in London have successfully removed a pituitary tumor from a 48-year-old patient with the help of a real-time AI system.
Rhys Hibbert, a father-of-two from Bedfordshire, lost consciousness and had a seizure 18 months ago during a daily walk. Tests revealed a benign 11-millimeter tumor on his pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is a small gland located at the base of the skull that controls growth, metabolism, blood pressure and body temperature.
The tumor began to put pressure on the optic nerves, causing the patient to lose his peripheral vision. He suffered from frequent fatigue, dizziness and loss of balance. Surgeons say that without the operation, he could have lost his vision completely.
The operation was performed using an endoscope through the nose. The tumor was hidden behind bone and dense membranes, and the chance of not being completely removed was 25–50 percent, and the risk of damaging a major blood vessel was 0.5–2 percent.
It was at this stage that artificial intelligence came to the rescue. On a second screen, the system analyzed the operation in real time, tracking surgical instruments, marking the locations of hidden blood vessels and nerves, and showing areas where the tumor could be removed more safely. The researchers trained the technology on hundreds of videos of similar operations.
The operation was performed by Professors Hani Marcus and Danial Khan, both from University College London (UCL), at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. The system only acted as an advisor, and the final decisions were made by the surgeons.
Hibbert said that when he opened his eyes after the operation, he felt that his vision had fully returned. Within eight weeks, he said his vision had improved, his strength had returned, and his previous complaints had disappeared: "It's given me my life back."
The project is funded by the UK's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and Google. Scientists are now preparing for a large-scale clinical trial. In the long term, they plan to create an "operating room ChatGPT" for surgeons - a system that would provide advice if necessary, but still require the consent of the doctor.
Hibbert explained his agreement to become the first patient by saying: "If patients don't participate in research, how will doctors learn and how will medicine progress?"