Life-changing surgery microscope saving lives and brain tissue at Townsville University Hospital

A cutting-edge $1.2m neurological microscope at Townsville University Hospital has revolutionised brain and spine surgeries for over 100 patients in just six months. Here’s how.

Townsville University Hospital Neurosurgeon Dr Jolyn Khoo with her patient Susan Barlow, who benefited from new operating microscope.

An advanced $1.2m neurological operating microscope has helped with the brain and spine surgery of more than 100 patients who have been treated at the Townsville University Hospital since it was first used six months ago.

State government MPs said they were proud of the investment as the hospital was the only one in the state outside of Brisbane equipped with the microscope, which has allowed North Queensland patients needing neurological procedures to seek life-changing treatment much closer to home.

This includes Susan Barlow, who was at work supporting special needs children when she had a bad headache, which ended up being a tumour.

Her surgeon was able to use the new neurological microscope to remove two tumours that were close together, but separation lesions.

“I honestly didn’t think I was sick, but the experience has shown me on a very personal level just how crucial it is to have advanced equipment available locally so that people like me can stay with their families in such a scary time,” she said.

Townsville University Hospital staff with the new $1.2m operating microscope.

Neurosurgeon Jolyn Khoo said Ms Barlow’s situation had been “an interesting case” because of the rarity of having a large tumour at a surface level of the brain closer to a smaller but deeper one.

The microscope had been essential as it helped surgeons be able to differentiate different parts of the brain more carefully.

“When we’re trying to take out a tumour in the brain as much as we can, as safely as we can, we really want to know where we are in the brain,” Dr Khoo said.

“If we take the important part of the brain, we could leave the patient with devastating outcomes, you know, be it weakness, unable to communicate and complications like that.

“So with the microscope, we can very carefully reset just right to the edges of where we think (the tumour) is versus what probably would be a normal functioning brain and allows us to take as much as we can but also try to avoid leaving a patient with unintended outcomes.”

Townsville State MP Scott Stewart said the technology was also an incentive to attract doctors to work in the area.

“I want to thank the team here at the hospital for all the work they’ve done to bring

this state-of-the-art technology to the north,” Mr Stewart said.

“Their commitment to the health and wellbeing of our community here in Townsville

is nothing short of incredible.

“The Townsville community can be assuring that the Miles Government will continue

investing in the latest technologies to ensure they continue receiving world-class care

for generations to come.”

Originally published as Life-changing surgery microscope saving lives and brain tissue at Townsville University Hospital