Surgeons at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have successfully carried out the UK’s first brain aneurysm clipping using keyhole surgery through the eye socket, marking a major milestone in minimally invasive neurosurgery.
The pioneering procedure was performed on 60‑year‑old Andrew Wood from Wakefield by a highly specialist multidisciplinary team at the Trust. The operation represents a significant advance in how complex brain aneurysms can be treated while reducing trauma and recovery time for patients.
Andrew was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm during an MRI scan at Leeds General Infirmary in spring 2025 and was placed under ongoing specialist care to closely monitor the condition.
A brain aneurysm is a weakened, balloon‑like bulge in a blood vessel in the brain. If it ruptures, it can cause life‑threatening bleeding and potentially fatal strokes. Patients are carefully monitored to assess the size and position of the aneurysm before determining the most appropriate treatment.
One established treatment option is aneurysm clipping, where a neurosurgeon places a tiny metal clip across the neck of the aneurysm to prevent it from bursting. Traditionally, this requires open brain surgery involving a large skull opening.
In Andrew’s case, surgeons used an innovative trans‑orbital approach, accessing the aneurysm through a small incision on the outer area of the eye socket. This avoided the need for a major craniotomy and significantly reduced disruption to surrounding tissue, pain and recovery time.
The operation was carried out by Mr Asim Sheikh, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Mr Kenan Deniz, Consultant Neurosurgeon, and Mr Jiten Parmar, Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon, supported by anaesthetists, theatre staff and specialist nurses.
Ahead of surgery, the team worked with Biomedical Engineer Lisa Ferrie and Reconstructive Scientist Magdalena Paluszkiewicz to produce a bespoke 3D‑printed model of Andrew’s eye socket, skull base and aneurysm.
This allowed surgeons to plan and rehearse the procedure multiple times, ensuring maximum precision and patient safety before entering theatre.
The approach builds on earlier successes at Leeds, where similar techniques have been used to remove brain tumours via the eye socket. The Trust believes this breakthrough paves the way for wider national adoption of the technique for carefully selected patients.
The achievement highlights how Leeds’ neurosurgery and maxillofacial teams are combining advanced imaging, digital planning and cutting‑edge surgical techniques to improve outcomes for patients across West Yorkshire and beyond.
Mr Asim Sheikh, Consultant Neurosurgeon at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:
“This procedure represents a significant step forward in minimally invasive brain surgery in the UK. By accessing the aneurysm through the eye socket, we can avoid a large craniotomy, minimise disruption to surrounding tissue and help patients recover more quickly at home. The use of 3D printed technology to plan and practise the surgery was invaluable. It meant we could tailor the approach precisely to Andrew’s anatomy and undertake the operation with an added layer of confidence and safety. We are proud to be able to offer patients in West Yorkshire access to some of the most advanced neurosurgical and maxillofacial techniques available anywhere in the country.”
For NHS leaders and clinicians, the procedure demonstrates how innovation, collaboration and digital technologies can transform complex care pathways while improving patient experience and outcomes.
Image credit: iStock
