A 48-year-old father of two has successfully undergone the world’s first brain surgery in which an artificial intelligence system provided live assistance during the removal of his tumour. Rhys Hibbert, from Bedfordshire, could have suffered permanent damage to his sight without the operation, surgeons at University College London Hospital said. The bespoke AI system analysed a live video feed from the procedure and helped surgeons identify areas where critical blood vessels and nerves were likely to be located, allowing them to remove as much of the tumour as safely possible. “From a patient safety perspective, I can see absolutely the benefit. There are no road signs inside our head, ” Hibbert said. Tumour threatened his vision Hibbert, a customer services manager who had previously been fit and active, was diagnosed with an 11mm non-cancerous tumour on his pituitary gland after collapsing and suffering a seizure during a lunchtime walk. The pituitary gland is a small organ at the base of the brain that produces hormones involved in functions including growth, metabolism and blood pressure regulation. Because the tumour was close to the carotid arteries and optic nerves, its growth began affecting Hibbert’s peripheral vision. He also experienced severe fatigue, dizziness and difficulty walking without tripping. Although surgery was not initially considered urgent, Hibbert eventually agreed to take part in the pioneering procedure after doctors offered him the opportunity to have the experimental AI system assist during the operation. “If patients are not prepared to join research, how can doctors ever learn and how can medicine ever progress? ” he said. AI acts as an extra pair of eyes The procedure involved inserting a thin camera, known as an endoscope, through Hibbert’s nose to reach the base of his skull. The tumour was located behind layers of bone and tough membrane, making it difficult to identify the safest route for removal. Surgeons also faced the challenge of individual differences in patients’ anatomy. The AI system displayed information on a separate screen while the operation was underway. It tracked surgical instruments and highlighted areas where important blood vessels and nerves were most likely to be located. Researchers trained the system using hundreds of videos of pituitary tumour operations, with experts manually identifying key anatomical structures in the footage. Prof Hani Marcus, who helped perform the procedure, said the system had been trained on more operations than most surgeons would encounter during their careers and could serve as an “expert second pair of eyes”. Unlike some experimental medical AI systems, the technology operates in real time. Doctors remain in complete control of the operation and can choose whether to follow its guidance. The research team, developed at University College London and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and Google, is now preparing a larger clinical trial. ‘It’s given me my life back’ Hibbert said his recovery had already brought significant improvements to his quality of life. “When I opened my eyes after the operation it felt like I had got 360-degree vision – I hadn’t seen that clearly for a year, ” he said. Eight weeks after the surgery, he said his eyesight continued to improve and that his energy had returned. “I also have my energy back and all of the side effects I was suffering before surgery have gone, ” Hibbert said. “It’s given me my life back. ” Health Innovation Minister James Frith welcomed the procedure, describing it as life-changing surgery carried out as part of government-funded research. He stressed that AI technologies in healthcare would require appropriate safeguards but said the government also wanted to ensure the potential benefits of the technology could be realised.
AI assists surgeons in world-first brain tumour operation
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