London patient becomes first in the world to undergo AI-assisted brain surgery
The surgery helped to save Rhys Hibbert's sight
A 48-year-old man has become the first person in the world to have a brain tumour removed with the help of artificial intelligence.
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Rhys Hibbert was operated on using technology which helps medics identify tiny anatomy in the brain through colour-coding.
This highlighted which areas to avoid while removing the tumour on Mr Hibbert’s pituitary gland.
Mr Hibbert, from Bedfordshire, said the operation saved his sight and he is now back at work as a customer services manager and a community volunteer.
Without the surgery the tumour could have caused him to be blind but the surgery saw the tumour successfully removed, protecting his sight.
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The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN) where Mr Hibbert was operated on has been using the technology for some time but the operation in May was the first time it has been used on a patient.
During the operation, the AI analysed the live surgical feed in real time to highlight structures of the brain.
Officials said that in this part of the brain, the pituitary gland, blood vessels and nerves controlling vision are tightly packed together and “going a millimetre wrong can make a critical difference”.
The AI highlighted which areas to avoid while removing the tumour.
Mr Hibbert, who was diagnosed in 2024 said: “The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery was founded in 1859… and was the world’s first dedicated neurosurgical hospital.
“So to me, it seems very fitting that the same hospital should also be the world’s first to carry out an AI-assisted neurosurgery.
“I’m very pleased to have had the opportunity to be cared for in the hospital… I’m also very humbled to have been asked if I’ll be prepared to be the world’s first patient in this research.”
Hani Marcus, a professor at UCL and neurosurgeon who performed the surgery, said: “Huge thanks to the trial participants and to the team committed to improving patient outcomes by taking this important first step globally and using UK homegrown AI to help reduce risk during these delicate surgeries.”
The AI was developed “in house” at the UCL Hawkes Institute and was trained using hundreds of videos of brain surgeries.
Earlier this summer medics at St Mark’s, the National Bowel Hospital, became the first outside of a research setting to use a new AI tool which colour codes different parts of the body during live operations.
The tool, which is used alongside robotic or laparoscopic surgery, highlights different parts of the anatomy in real time on a screen, helping surgeons as they protect or dissect certain parts of the body during their operations.
For instance, connective tissue could be highlighted as turquoise or nerves could be highlighted in green, and other parts of the anatomy can be highlighted with other colours.