London: In what's claimed to be a surgical
feat, British doctors have carried out the world's first heart
operation using radiation technology.
A team at Harley Street Clinic in London successfully
conducted the revolutionary operation on a 67-year-old Briton,
which involved highly focused radiation as a "scalpel" to cut
away the tumour inside the right chamber of his heart.
The treatment is the first time the radiation scalpel,
called the "Cyberknife", has been used in heart operation, and
the doctors are confident that it could lead to new treatments
for other heart conditions, 'The Daily Telegraph' reported.
During the operation, radiation beams controlled
by a robot with an accuracy of one millimetre arm attacked the
tumour of Michael Kilby. It took account of breathing patterns
and body movements to avoid the patient's healthy tissue.
Dr John Coltart, consultant cardiologist at the Clinic
said: "Three months ago his prognosis was terrible, now he may
live for a good while yet. No one had ever done this before,
it was a bit of innovative thinking to give this gentleman a
chance. All our expectations have been realised."
According to Dr Coltart, tumours inside the heart
are extremely rare and it seems the Cyberknife may now be
the preferable way to treat them because the radiation can be
targeted to such a degree that there is minimal damage to the
heart muscle.
In fact, Kilby's tumour, which was larger than a
golf ball, has already shrunk by 40 percent and is expected
to shrink further over the next four weeks.
"I was treated for five days with each session lasting
for about an hour and a half. You cannot feel anything at all,
its just like radiotherapy. Before the Cyberknife I couldn't
speak in long sentences because I would get out breath, but
now I can walk a few holes of the golf course," Kilby said.
Added Nick Plowman, clinical oncologist: "This was
an absolutely unique case. The tumour was taking up so much of
the ventricle that the heart was failing in front of us. There
was nowhere else to go with his treatment. The tumour has
shrunk significantly and I expect it to shrink further in the
coming weeks. It is great."
Bureau Report