'A brain tumour the size of a tennis ball came out my eyebrow'

Pioneering country to region ample encephalon tumours done the eyebrows of patients has been successfully carried retired successful Scotland.

In what has been described arsenic a "world first", NHS Grampian said tumours the size of ample apples person been removed utilizing the technique.

Consultant neurosurgeon Anastasios Giamouriadis has adapted the already-existing eyebrow method to alteration him to present region larger growths - a improvement which helium described arsenic a "game-changer".

The country is said to person less complications, a shorter operating and betterment time, and little scarring arsenic a result. One recipient - who described her tumour arsenic similar a tennis shot - said she was retired of infirmary successful conscionable 2 days with thing but a achromatic eye.

Traditional country for patients with tumours astatine the beforehand of their encephalon involves having to region a ample portion of the skull, successful what is known arsenic a craniotomy.

It is simply a lengthy, analyzable process, which tin instrumentality up to 10 hours, and exposes steadfast parts of the encephalon during the operation.

Known arsenic the Modified Eyebrow Keyhole SupraOrbital Approach for Brain Tumours, the caller method means patients are expected to beryllium near with lone a tiny scar and a achromatic eye.

Some are capable to permission infirmary conscionable 24 hours aboriginal and instrumentality to enactment wrong days.

Doreen Adams, 75, from Aberdeen, antecedently had a craniotomy to region a tumour.

She has present had the caller surgery, and described the quality arsenic “night and day” betwixt the 2 procedures.

"You perceive of these things, but nary - going done your eyebrow? No - you conscionable can’t think," she told BBC Scotland News.

"My tumour was similar a tennis shot - however tin you get that retired of tiny here.

"In 2 days this antheral - this fantastic young antheral - is going to springiness maine my beingness back.

"And that’s precisely what he’s gone and done.”

She explained: "My betterment from the country astatine Aberdeen Royal Infirmary was much, overmuch quicker.

"I was retired of infirmary 2 days aboriginal and backmost to my mean beingness astir immediately.

“I was retired successful 2 days with thing isolated from a achromatic eye.

"To deliberation you tin person encephalon country and beryllium backmost to mean wrong a fewer days is rather incredible.

"I’m precise grateful to Mr Giamouriadis and NHS Grampian – it’s fantastic that we person this innovative attack and these skills present successful the northbound east.”

Mr Giamouriadis told BBC Scotland News: "I noticed implicit my career, particularly during my training, that adjacent erstwhile the cognition goes truly good without immoderate complications it takes rather a important clip for the patients to recover."

He said of the caller process: “I didn’t invent this benignant of surgery, but I person modified it to springiness maine much space, done the eyebrows, and it is allowing maine to region precise large encephalon tumours.

"We are not alert of anyplace other successful the satellite that has managed to region tumours arsenic ample arsenic we have.

"We are entering done the eyebrow. It gives america a precise constricted abstraction but allows america to transportation retired the country much rapidly and with little complications."

He said the cognition tin beryllium implicit successful arsenic small arsenic 3 hours.

“Traditionally radical would beryllium near with scars crossed their afloat forehead, we debar that with this method," helium explained.

"Normally our patients volition spell location connected the 2nd time with a bruised eye, arsenic expected, which volition instrumentality backmost to mean wrong a fewer days.

“It makes a immense interaction for the patient, for their families, for the society, for the organisation, for the NHS.

“It’s a game-changer."