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First real-time AI use in brain surgery protects patient's sight

First real-time AI use in brain surgery protects patient's sight

New Capabilities

UCL-developed system analyzed live surgical video to guide a pituitary tumour removal, protecting the patient's vision

3 days ago: Human Progress reports on the milestone

Overview

Updated 2 hours ago

Rhys Hibbert, 48, went into surgery with an 11mm tumour pressing on the nerves that control his vision. He came out with what he calls 360-degree panoramic sight.

The difference: an AI system that watched the live surgical video feed and marked the blood vessels and nerves the surgeon needed to avoid. The May operation at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London was the first time AI guided a neurosurgeon in real time during live surgery.

The system, developed at University College London, analyzed the camera feed from an endoscope inserted through the nose. It tracked surgical instruments and marked risky areas near the optic nerves and carotid arteries. A larger clinical trial is now planned.

Why it matters

If this AI proves out in larger trials, delicate brain surgery could get safer for thousands of patients a year.

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Key Indicators

11mm
Tumour size
Non-cancerous growth on the pituitary gland, close to optic nerves and carotid arteries.
25-50%
Chance of incomplete removal without AI
Standard complication rate for this procedure without AI assistance.
0.5-2%
Risk of major blood vessel injury
Risk of injuring a carotid artery during standard surgery.
48
Patient age
Rhys Hibbert was slowly going blind before the operation.

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People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

May 2026 September 2026

4 events Latest: 3 days ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date
  1. Human Progress reports on the milestone

    Latest Media

    Human Progress publishes its report on the first real-time AI use in brain surgery.

  2. Global media report the milestone

    Media

    Guardian, Independent, Euronews and other outlets cover the world-first procedure.

  3. UCL and UCLH announce the surgery

    Announcement

    Details of the first live AI-assisted surgery revealed after the patient recovered.

  4. First live AI-assisted brain surgery performed

    Medical

    Rhys Hibbert's 11mm pituitary tumour removed with real-time AI guidance at NHNN.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2000

da Vinci Surgical System (2000)

The FDA approved the da Vinci system, the first robotic-assisted surgical platform. It took years of clinical trials, surgeon training, and cost negotiations before robotic surgery became widespread.

Then

Robotic surgery was initially limited to a few procedures at major hospitals.

Now

da Vinci is now used in millions of procedures annually worldwide.

Why this matters now

The adoption curve for AI-assisted surgery may follow a similar path, starting with a single procedure and expanding as evidence accumulates.

2011

IBM Watson in medicine (2011)

IBM promoted Watson as a breakthrough in AI-assisted medicine, particularly for oncology treatment recommendations. It was deployed at several hospitals with high expectations.

Then

Watson's recommendations were often inconsistent with clinical practice and it struggled to integrate into hospital workflows.

Now

IBM sold Watson Health in 2022, a cautionary tale about AI hype in medicine.

Why this matters now

The UCL team emphasizes that the AI is an assistant, not a replacement, and that surgeons retain full control. Clinical validation will determine whether this AI avoids Watson's fate.

1990s

Image-guided neurosurgery (1990s)

Neurosurgeons began using frameless stereotactic navigation systems that tracked surgical instruments against pre-operative MRI and CT scans. This replaced reliance on anatomical landmarks and X-rays during surgery.

Then

Brain surgery became more precise, with better tumour resection rates and fewer complications.

Now

Image-guided navigation is now standard in neurosurgery worldwide.

Why this matters now

The current AI system builds on image-guided navigation but adds live analysis of the surgical video feed, rather than relying on pre-operative scans.

Sources

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