Pioneering Keyhole Surgery Offers New Hope for Brain Tumor Patients in the UK
In a groundbreaking medical achievement, a team of surgeons at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has successfully performed the UK's first endoscopic trans-orbital surgery to remove a previously inoperable brain tumor. The surgery, which took place in February 2024, allowed 40-year-old Ruvimbo Kaviya to have a meningioma removed from the cavernous sinus, a complex area beneath the brain.
The innovative procedure, which was less invasive than traditional methods, lasted just three hours and allowed Kaviya to resume walking the same day. Prior to the surgery, Kaviya suffered severe headaches and facial pain, prompting her to seek urgent treatment. Despite her family's initial skepticism, she opted for the new surgical technique, stating, "It’s either I do it or it keeps growing, and maybe I will die."
Surgeons developed the technique in consultation with specialists from Spain, utilizing 3D models and practicing on cadavers before operating on Kaviya. The procedure uniquely avoids direct contact with the brain by accessing the tumor through the eye socket, minimizing complications such as seizures.
Kaviya has reported a smooth recovery post-surgery, with only a small scar and temporary double vision as side effects. The success of this operation now opens possibilities for similar surgeries in the future, giving hope to patients with previously deemed inoperable tumors.
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