“ChatGPT for Surgeons.” In Britain, the first brain surgery was performed using AI in real time

In the UK, 48-year-old Rhys Hibbert has become the first person in the world to have a brain tumour removed in a real-time AI-guided surgery at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London.

The BBC writes about this.

The man was diagnosed with an 11-millimeter benign pituitary tumor. It was located near the blood vessels and nerves responsible for vision and gradually began to narrow his peripheral vision. Without surgery, Hibbert could have lost his vision completely.

During the operation, an endoscope was inserted through the nose to the base of the skull. AI analyzed video from the operating room during the procedure and marked important vessels and nerves on the screen, helping surgeons determine the safest areas to remove the tumor.

The system, developed by researchers at University College London, was trained on hundreds of videos of previous operations to remove pituitary tumors. The AI can also track surgical instruments and their interactions with tissue.

According to doctors, the system works as a “second pair of eyes” for the surgeon. At the same time, AI only assists the team, and the final decisions during the operation remain with the doctors.

After the surgery, Hibbertʼs vision improved significantly. The man said that he could see much better after waking up, and over the following weeks, his energy and normal vision returned.

The researchers plan to conduct a larger-scale test of the technology. In the future, they want to create a kind of “ChatGPT for surgeons” that could provide doctors with additional tips during complex operations.

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