Supporting NHS Lothian Brain Surgeons to access innovative software that saves even more lives

Last year, 763 people underwent life-saving brain surgery at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Every year, people requiring this vital surgery put their lives in the hands of the exceptional neurosurgery team who work tirelessly to create the best possible outcomes for their patients.

For many, undergoing brain surgery will be one of the most terrifying experiences of their lifetime. But thanks to the support of our kind donors, neurosurgeons are using innovative software to enable them to perform safer and more effective surgeries.

Mr Anthony Wiggins has worked at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for over a decade and performs up to 20 lengthy life-saving surgeries per month. Anthony said:

“The brain is so intricate we spend a lot of time planning, otherwise we could cause a lot of harm.

“One of the problems with brain surgery is that the anatomy can be very complex. We can see things clearly on a scan beforehand, but when it comes to operating under the microscope, distinguishing different structures can be more difficult. If we don’t study the scans and plan the surgery carefully, we’d have no idea where to go or how far.”

Up until a few months ago, Anthony had very limited ability to plan intricate surgeries. But thanks to kind donations to NHS Lothian Charity, Anthony and his team have purchased innovative Brainlab planning software that is helping them to save more lives.

Anthony continued:

“The Brainlab software improves the extent of how much we can do and increases safety by allowing us to do only what is needed without causing more problems, such as a stroke.

“Now we can merge scans together to create 3D colour-coded maps of nerve tracts, blood vessels and other structures.

“When I’m in surgery, as well as seeing everything through the microscope, I can overlay the 3D model and I know exactly where to go.

“For patients the outcomes are better as there’s less chance of causing long-term harm.”

A lot of the brain tumours or vascular malformations Anthony operates on are in hard-to-reach areas, and one wrong move can result in irreversible brain damage. As well as allowing Anthony to plan and perform safer, more accurate surgeries, the software also enables patients to gain a better understanding of what’s involved.

Anthony said:

“It’s important the patient understands what may happen. If they anticipate and understand any complications they may have before surgery, it’s much easier to cope with them in the long term.

“Before patients really struggled to make sense of the scans. Now, the 3D colourful model makes it much easier for patients to see where everything is and we can let them know which vessels supply each part of the brain, where the tumour or bleed is and what surrounds it to help them understand the risks involved.”

The Brainlab software was funded by donations to NHS Lothian Charity and is just one of the many life-changing projects made possible by our kind donors.

Every year, we support hundreds of projects across NHS Lothian. Whether it’s innovative equipment, ground-breaking research or simply a comfy space for patients and staff to relax, your donations span far and wide to ensure NHS Lothian can provide the best care possible for everyone.