In a remarkable feat of medical innovation, surgeons in Leeds have performed a UK-first procedure, successfully treating a potentially fatal brain aneurysm through a patient’s eye socket, thereby sparing him the trauma of major skull surgery. Andrew Wood, a 61-year-old grandfather and builder, was understandably shocked to learn he had a brain aneurysm—a dangerous bulge in a blood vessel—discovered incidentally during scans for another issue last spring. Facing the prospect of a traditional craniotomy, which involves removing a section of the skull and gently moving the brain to reach the affected area, Mr. Wood was instead offered a pioneering, minimally invasive alternative. A specialist team at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust proposed navigating through the bony socket of his eye to directly access and repair the aneurysm, a technique never before used for this condition in the UK.
The groundbreaking operation, led by consultant neurosurgeon Asim Sheikh in partnership with consultant maxillofacial surgeon Jiten Parmar, hinged on meticulous, personalised planning. To prepare, biomechanical engineers at the hospital constructed a custom, 3D-printed replica of Mr. Wood’s unique anatomy, including his eye socket, adjacent skull base, and the aneurysm itself. This model allowed the surgeons to meticulously plan and even rehearse the procedure. Furthermore, they designed and 3D-printed bespoke surgical retractors to protect the eyeball during the operation. This collaborative, high-tech approach ensured the team could create a precise surgical corridor to the aneurysm without applying pressure to the eye or, most importantly, without having to touch or retract the brain itself.
In February, the team executed their plan. Through a tiny incision at the side of Mr. Wood’s eye and a careful cut in the outer wall of the eye socket, they gained direct access to the aneurysm. Using a technique called clipping, they secured the base of the swollen blood vessel with a small metal clip to prevent a rupture. Mr. Sheikh emphasized the profound benefit of this approach: by completely avoiding contact with the brain, the procedure eliminated the risks and recovery challenges associated with traditional brain retraction. The patient, he noted, got “the best of both worlds”—the gold-standard, durable cure for his aneurysm while avoiding the significant drawbacks of a major cranial operation.
The success of this pioneering surgery was immediately evident in Mr. Wood’s astonishingly rapid recovery. Instead of a typical hospital stay of around a week following a craniotomy, he was discharged after just one night. His discharge test was charmingly simple: he was asked to make toast and a cup of tea to confirm his faculties were intact. By May, just weeks after the operation, he was back working on construction sites, with his only precaution being a mindful avoidance of swinging two-by-fours near his face. He reported no pain, no double vision, and a seamless return to normal life, a testament to the minimally invasive nature of the surgery.
This landmark case is not an isolated breakthrough but part of a concerted effort by the Leeds team to advance the frontiers of keyhole brain surgery. In 2024, the same specialists performed the UK’s first removal of a brain tumour via the eye socket. Building on that experience, they recognized the same pathway could be ideal for treating certain aneurysms, like Mr. Wood’s, which was perfectly situated for this access route. Mr. Parmar highlighted that the case showcases how partnership across surgical specialties, combined with decades of experience and cutting-edge engineering, delivers transformative outcomes for patients.
For Andrew Wood, the impact is profoundly personal. Grateful for the skill and kindness of the surgical team, he feels he has been given a second chance. His story is a powerful demonstration of how surgical ingenuity and technology can dramatically reduce the physical and psychological burden of treatment. He is not only a beneficiary but also a proud participant in a significant step forward for British neurosurgery. As Mr. Sheikh concluded, this procedure marks a substantial advancement in minimally invasive techniques, promising a future where complex brain conditions can be treated with unprecedented precision and remarkably gentle recovery for patients.
