Surgeons will undergo a high risk surgery to help a 19-year-old diagnosed with testicular cancer.
The operation at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge is part of the next instalment of ‘Surgeons: At the Edge of Life’ on BBC Two.
In the fourth episode of series five, Jamie, who found out he had cancer eight months ago, realised he had to have a testicle removed.
But doctors discovered the cancer had spread to Jamie’s lymph nodes, which are crucial for fighting infection, and he has had multiple rounds of chemotherapy.
“Scans have shown that he still has a large lymph node mass,” a spokesperson for Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust said.
“There is no way for doctors to know if it is still cancerous, so the only option is major surgery to remove it.”
Jamie’s swollen lymph node is stuck to part of his small bowel and a major blood vessel, meaning damage to either of these could case life-threatening complications.
The complex procedure is taken on by urology consultants Jim Armitage and Tony Riddick, who will work to remove the mass from Jamie’s abdomen.
In the same episode, doctors try to help a 40-year-old man diagnosed with an incurable genetic disorder in one of his toughest challenges to date.
Sam was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis as a child, which causes tumours to grow from nerves around the body.
He is treated by neurosurgeon Riki Trivedi, one of a handful in the country who operates on patients with nerve tumours in the body.
READ MORE: Wife undergoes life-saving operation in latest BBC episode
The father-of-three has two tumours growing in his neck, including one close to the spinal cord which, if not removed, could cause paralysis.
“This operation is the most high-risk procedure Sam has ever had,” the CUH spokesperson said.
“The tiniest mistake this close to the spinal cord, means Sam could be permanently paralysed.
“Riki’s skills are so specialist that he’s involved in training the next generation of surgeons, and he’ll be assisted in theatre by neurosurgical fellow Samir Matloob.”
‘Surgeons: At the Edge of Life' continues at 9pm on February 8.
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