[WATCH] €350,000 'brain lab' equipment allows removal of brain tumours with greater precision

New €350,000 equipment allows removal of brain tumours with greater precision

Thirty patients diagnosed with brain tumour were able to undergo surgery in Malta following the investment carried out by Mater Dei Hospital in the acquisition of a new precision navigation system.

The €350,000 Brainlab equipment allows surgeons to ‘navigate’ through the brain – the same way as a GPS operates – providing them with the exact location of the tumour making the operation less invasive.

While patients usually had to travel to London, UK for such a surgery, the new equipment has allowed 30 patients – over the past nine months – to remain in Malta.

“This is a huge advancement for both the hospital and patients,” neurosurgeon Ludwic Zrinzo said.

Standing in the middle of an operating theatre, flanked by Health Minister Chris Fearne, Zrinzo said precisely locating the tumour in the brain minimised the risk of damage to other parts of the brain. The system joins scans taken before the surgery with images from a camera which is transferring images onto a full HD touch display.

The Minister for Health, who went on to list new equipment acquired by the hospital, said advancements in technology help patients to recover faster.

“We are now utilising specialists and doctors who have been studying and working abroad and have now returned,” Fearne said, reminding that Malta has the oldest medical school in Europe.