UK Team Performs First Real-Time AI-Assisted Brain Tumour Surgery

Pituitary tumours sit close to the optic nerves and major blood vessels, making surgery a delicate balance between removing diseased tissue and preserving critical structures. A team at University College London Hospitals used real-time AI image recognition to identify nerves and blood vessels during the procedure, giving surgeons an additional layer of guidance aimed at reducing risks including bleeding and loss of vision.

The UK team has now completed what it described as the world’s first brain tumour operation supported throughout by real-time AI. Surgeons removed a pituitary tumour that threatened the patient’s eyesight, helping avert blindness. The hospital plans to assess a broader clinical trial as the next step, testing the system’s safety, accuracy and clinical value across more patients and a wider range of surgical situations.