Pioneering AI-assisted brain surgery successfully removes father’s tumour
A father of two from Bedfordshire has successfully undergone what is believed to be the world’s first brain operation performed with live assistance from artificial intelligence.
The pioneering technology helped surgeons at University College London Hospital safely remove as much of Rhys Hibbert’s tumour as possible while protecting vital blood vessels and nerves—including those responsible for his sight.
“From a patient safety perspective, I can see absolutely the benefit. There are no road signs inside our head,” Hibbert said.
During the procedure, the specially designed AI system examined a live video feed, followed the movement of surgical instruments and indicated where important structures were likely to be hidden. It then highlighted the safest areas through which the medical team could approach and remove the tumour.
The technology works in a way comparable to facial recognition on a mobile phone. Instead of identifying faces, however, it recognises crucial anatomical features that may not be immediately visible to a surgeon.
Hibbert, 48, had been fit and healthy until around 18 months before the operation. The customer services manager regularly walked two miles during his lunch break, but his life changed when he lost consciousness and experienced a seizure in the road during one of those walks.
A subsequent brain scan identified an 11mm non-cancerous tumour on his pituitary gland. This marble-sized organ, located at the base of the skull, produces essential hormones involved in growth, metabolism, blood pressure and body temperature.
Because the pituitary gland is positioned close to the carotid arteries and optic nerves, operating in the area requires exceptional care. As Hibbert’s tumour pressed against his optic nerves, his peripheral vision began to narrow. Although surgery was not immediately necessary, he later experienced severe tiredness and dizziness and began tripping over objects.
Despite these challenges, Hibbert remained determined to preserve the thoughtful routines that brought happiness to his family life.
“For 18 years of married life I've always got out of bed and made my wife a cup of coffee,” Hibbert said, “and I wasn't going to let this tumour stop that.”
He found the emotional and psychological effects especially difficult. While grateful for the kindness offered by those around him, maintaining his independence remained important.
“Though I had a lot of people kindly offering help, you don't want to be a burden on people,” he added.
When surgeons invited him to become the first patient to undergo the operation with their bespoke AI system providing live guidance, Hibbert readily agreed. He saw the opportunity not only as a step towards restoring his own health, but also as a way to support future medical progress.
“If patients are not prepared to join research how can doctors ever learn and how can medicine ever progress?” he said.
Surgeons performed the procedure by guiding an endoscope—a narrow camera attached to a thin instrument—through Hibbert’s nose and towards the base of his skull. The tumour lay behind layers of bone and a strong membrane, making it difficult to determine the safest route. The challenge was increased by the fact that each person’s anatomy is different.
Without the new assistance, surgeons would normally rely mainly on scans taken before an operation to understand the individual patient’s anatomy. An average UK surgeon carries out approximately 10 to 20 procedures of this kind each year.
For Hibbert’s operation, the AI system provided additional guidance in real time. On a separate screen, it analysed the endoscope footage, monitored the surgical tools and mapped the probable locations of nearby nerves and blood vessels.
Researchers developed and evaluated the system using hundreds of recordings from previous pituitary tumour operations. By carefully marking the vessels and nerves in each recording, they taught the technology to recognise the structures that matter most during surgery.
“It is trained on more operations than most surgeons see or do in a lifetime and can act like an expert second pair of eyes,” said Prof Hani Marcus, who helped perform the procedure.
Unlike some other experimental medical AI systems, the tool offers guidance while an operation is actively taking place. Its successful use in Hibbert’s surgery offers an encouraging example of how skilled medical teams and carefully developed technology can work together to improve patient safety and advance surgical care.
