44-year-old Lisa needs surgery to remove a benign tumour from behind her eye. Lisa has suffered from significant facial pain for around 10 years but has only recently felt ready to commit to an operation.
In the episode we meet Lisa as she arrives at the Royal Victoria Infirmary with her partner of seven years, Jason and their dog honey. As they say goodbye at the door Jason is nervous about Lisa’s surgery: “I feel a bit scared – I’m just going to try and keep myself busy and work as normal during the day and then come and see her later, I love her to bits we’re best buddies and soulmates.” Explains Jason.
Lisa’s surgery will be performed by consultant ophthalmologist Lucy Clarke who explains why Lisa is having surgery: Lisa has a tumour behind her eye – a tumour is just a swelling and in her case it’s an abnormal clot of blood vessels. Imagine like varicose veins that have all got tied up into a knot the size of a big blackberry.”
Before her surgery Lisa explains why she’s decided to have surgery to remove the tumour: “I’m fearful of surgery, I didn’t know what it would entail but I just knew it needed to be out so I thought I’ve got to go for it. My main worry is the actual going to sleep and not waking up, It’s absolutely terrifying.”
Nerves before surgery are common for most people as Lucy explains: “Fear is incredibly common and I think it’s a natural response. I think most people would be terrified of having surgery because you’re handing over control to somebody else.
Thankfully for Lisa, Lucy is on hand to reassure her: “Just bear in mind whatever I do in there you are my top priority. At the end of the day I 100% have got my eye on you – I promise I’ll look after you.”
With Lisa reassured it’s time for surgery. The position of the tumour means this is a complex procedure for Lisa. The tumour is in direct contact with Lisa’s eyeball and the muscle and nerves that help keep her eye straight and allow her to see. Any damage to those structures could mean Lisa is at risk of double vision or even blindness.
After Lisa has marked the incision she begins to make her way through the tissues to find the bone. To access the tumour Lucy needs to temporarily remove a piece of bone from the side of Lisa’s eye socket. Lucy uses a small saw to cut through the bone: “It is such an important thing to be able to still yourself and be calms and take a deep breath and gain control of your body.”
Once the bone is out it’s time for Lucy to detach the tumour from its blood vessels – something that needs to be done with precise detail: “In such a tiny area there are so many different things that can go wrong it really is incredibly specialist surgery to get it right and the tiniest small thing can make a massive difference.” Explains Lucy.
Lisa’s tumour is rich in blood vessels so it can bleed and if there was any bleeding behind the eye, given enough time this will compress the optice nerve and potentially cause Lisa irreversible sight loss.
It’s the moment of truth as Lucy carefully separates the tissues holding the tumour in place and the tumour is removed: “That went as well as I would ever hope that to go.” Comments Lucy.
Now it’s been removed Lucy can reinsert the bone into Lisa’s eyes socket and carefully close up.
Lucy visits Lisa following her surgery and gives her the good news that all went well, the tumour has been removed and there was no damage to the nerve or muscle behind the eye. Lisa can’t compliment Lucy enough: “She is just amazing, she has been round to speak to me a couple of times she’s just five-star I can’t say anything else about her.”
Following her surgery Lisa no longer has facial pain and is enjoying her time with Jason and honey.
