Surgeons have performed the UK’s first tumour excision through the eye socket using a minimally invasive endoscopic approach.
The patient, Ruvimbo Kaviya, 40, had been living with persistent headaches that escalated over time.
Initially attributed to a toothache, her symptoms eventually led to an emergency MRI scan at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI), where she was diagnosed with meningiomas. The tumours – one on the right side of her brain and another near her left eye in the cavernous sinus – posed significant surgical challenges due to their location and proximity to critical neurovascular structures.
The procedure, performed by Mr Asim Sheikh, consultant skull base and neurovascular neurosurgeon, and Mr Jiten Parmar, consultant in maxillofacial surgery, marked a transformative shift in treating skull base tumours.
Traditional open craniotomy, often associated with substantial trauma, extensive incisions, and prolonged recovery, was replaced with a minimally invasive, endoscopic trans-orbital approach.
Using a 1.5cm incision in the patient’s eyelid, the surgeons accessed the tumour with precision, eliminating the need for craniotomy or brain retraction.
Mr Sheikh said: ‘This technique allows us to remove tumours without opening the skull or having to retract or compress the brain. The minimally invasive nature of the procedure significantly reduces trauma, enabling patients to recover faster with minimal visible scarring.’
Mr Parmar added: ‘The ability to work collaboratively with maxillofacial and neurosurgical teams, using cutting-edge 3D planning, has been a game changer. This partnership allows us to precisely target the tumour, ensuring safer outcomes for patients.’
The success of this surgery was underpinned by innovative 3D planning led by Lisa Ferrie, the Trust’s Biomedical Engineer and 3D Planning Service Lead.
The 3D model was used to perform the steps of surgery on the life-size model before the actual surgery took place.
Lisa explained: ‘When the surgical team approached me, we used scans of Ruvimbo’s brain and skull to create a 3D replica model. This technology enabled the team to study her anatomy in detail and prepare for the procedure with unparalleled accuracy. Seeing the model and knowing it contributed to this groundbreaking surgery is incredibly rewarding.’
