Surgeons: At the Edge of Life

Surgeons at University Hospital Southampton take on high-risk surgery to remove life-threatening tumours.

At University Hospital Southampton, surgeons perform lifesaving surgery: taking out a patient's eye and the tumour behind it and removing an 83-year-old man's cancerous bladder.

Surgeons at University Hospital Southampton operating on two patients - removing rare tumours and correcting a patient's bowed legs - must alter their plans to avoid catastrophe.

As one of the country's largest hospitals, surgeons at University Hospital Southampton carry out over 34,000 operations every year, many of which are the last hope for patients.

Maxillofacial consultant Sanjay Sharma is one consultant who takes on some of the most challenging cases involving the face, jaw, and mouth. Sixty-seven-year-old Sue, a longstanding patient of Sanjay's, faces a crumbling jaw - leading to infection and loss of function - following an earlier operation to remove cancer. Now, Sanjay faces the demanding task of rebuilding Sue's jaw once again. But when problems develop with her blood flow, Sue's reconstruction hangs in the balance.

Meanwhile, gastrointestinal surgery specialist Tim Underwood must perform an oesophagectomy for his patient, 67-year-old Monique, as she has advanced cancer in her oesophagus, or swallowing tube. To potentially cure Monique, Tim will need to remove the cancerous section of her oesophagus and then repurpose her stomach to create a new swallowing tube. But taking out the oesophagus is not straightforward.