News

Liver surgery is best in the country - 26 May 2009

Imperial College Healthcare has a zero percent mortality rate for surgery to remove liver tumours, thanks to innovative technology developed by Trust surgeons.

Independent data from Dr Foster Intelligence shows that of all the centres in the country performing more than 50 cases a year of this type of complex surgery, the Trust is the only one with no patient deaths.

Nagy Habib, the Trust’s chief of service for surgery, attributed the outstanding results to technology developed by his team that minimises the significant risk of blood loss associated with liver resection surgery.

The technology involves inserting four needles along the boundary of the tumour and then sending radio waves through the needles. The heat generated by the radio waves causes the blood vessels in the liver to close, thereby preventing bleeding when the tumour is cut away.

The need for a blood transfusion, which is common when using traditional techniques for this type of surgery, is effectively eliminated. The patient is also far less likely to need intensive care treatment and instead can return home within a week.

Mr Habib, who is also a professor of surgery at Imperial College London, said: “Imperial College Healthcare is once again at the forefront of surgical innovation - delivering survival rates that are unrivalled among our peers.

“The technology we have developed for liver surgery is a clear example of the benefits of being an academic health science centre (AHSC), whereby academics and clinicians are working side by side to translate groundbreaking techniques from the bench to the bedside, resulting in improved patient care.”