How UK doctors removed brain tumor through patient's eye socket
What's the story
In a landmark medical feat, surgeons from Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have successfully removed a previously inoperable brain tumor.
The pioneering procedure involved keyhole surgery through the patient's eye socket, a first for the UK.
The patient, Ruvimbo Kaviya (40), is now recovering well after her tumor was removed from the cavernous sinus — an area beneath the brain and behind the eyes.
Surgical innovation
A breakthrough in brain tumor surgery
The surgical procedure, called the endoscopic trans-orbital method, was performed in a mere three hours.
The technique provides a new ray of hope for patients with tumors that were previously considered inoperable due to their position.
Conventional methods often require complicated procedures involving the removal of large portions of the skull and shifting the brain, which could lead to complications like seizures.
Recovery journey
Patient's journey and recovery post-surgery
Kaviya, a nurse from Leeds, was diagnosed with a meningioma in 2023 after suffering from severe headaches. A second meningioma was discovered later that year.
Despite the risks involved with this new surgical approach, she opted for the procedure due to her unbearable pain.
Kaviya is now back at work as a stroke rehabilitation nurse in Leeds after her successful surgery and recovery.
Surgical insights
Surgeons' insights on the innovative procedure
Before concluding that Kaviya was an ideal candidate for this new surgery, the surgical team at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust consulted experts in Spain.
Asim Sheikh, a neurosurgeon who was part of the procedure, emphasized its advantages to PA news agency: "This way, we're not even sort of touching the brain. It's a hard-to-reach area, and this allows direct access without any compromise of pressure on the brain."
Technique development
Unique technique devised for the groundbreaking surgery
Jiten Parmar, a maxillofacial surgeon and a member of the surgical team, devised a unique technique for the operation.
It included cutting a small part of the outer wall of the eye socket for better access.
Parmar said, "We innovated a new technique, which I think is unique to Leeds, to make the operation much easier."
The team had practiced the innovative procedure several times on 3D models and in cadaver labs before attempting it on Kaviya.