Two new brain surgery theatres have been unveiled today at Royal Preston Hospital, part of Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. A live operation will be performed to showcase the ‘Star Trek’ style brain surgery facilities.
The new theatres are the centrepiece of a £7.2 million investment to upgrade theatres at the hospital and include the world’s most advanced brain navigation equipment, which has been donated to the Trust by the Sydney Driscoll Neuroscience Foundation. The Foundation, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and funds research and education into neuroscience including the treatment of brain tumours.
The two state-of-the-art brain surgery hubs are built around brain navigation systems, which are the first installed in the North of England. The GPS-type systems are linked to cutting-edge digital recording and video transmission as well as conferencing equipment to provide interactive training opportunities for the surgeons of the future.
Live operations can be viewed from the doctors training room and consultant offices and the specialists can talk directly with the surgeon as the operation takes place. Surgery can also be recorded and played back at training sessions.
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Right now almost 8,000 people in the UK need a transplant that could save or improve their life. But each year around 400 people die while waiting for an organ transplant.
