Surgeons in London have used lasers to diagnose tumour for the first time in Europe

 Specialists in London have utilized lasers to analyze irregular tissue amid an operation to uproot a cerebrum tumor without precedent for Europe. The non-intrusive method marks light reflected off tissue to figure out if it is carcinogenic or sound. The patient, Reuben Hill, 22, is making a decent recuperation after the operation at Charing Cross Hospital. It is trusted the procedure could make this sort of sensitive surgery speedier and more exact. It has just been attempted in Montreal, Canada, before now. Mr Hill, who is from Devon and examining for a PhD in material science at Imperial College London, lives up to expectations with the same laser innovation as utilized as a part of his operation. Before surgery, he let me know: "My internal researcher is entranced by what they are going to do. 

"Understanding the material science included doubtlessly makes it less frightening. "During the operation, specialists utilize a close infrared laser test, guiding the light emission on toward the uncovered cerebrum. This reasons particles in the cells to vibrate. Fiber optics in the test gather the scattered light that skips off the tissue. This is broke down utilizing Raman spectroscopy, which can quantify the recurrence of vibrations. Sound and anomalous tissue have a marginally diverse "mark". 

The entire procedure takes two or three seconds, and is totally non-obtrusive. In all disease surgery, the point is to evacuate all irregular tissue while saving solid cells. 

This is particularly critical with cerebrum tumors, as uprooting solid tissue can bring about perpetual harm to cognizance, memory and discourse.

Neurosurgeon Babar Vaqas, the trial chief investigator, said: "Optical technologies like this are the future. They are fast and don't destroy any tissue and could be used during many types of cancer surgery or when dealing with infection like a brain abscess." Mr Vaqas said the trial at Charing Cross Hospital - part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust - was aiming to recruit between 30 and 40 patients with brain tumours.

During the same operation, surgeons used another innovative technique - an "intelligent" knife that can give a detailed molecular analysis of tissue. The "iKnife" is an electro-surgical scalpel that produces smoke as it cuts through tissue.Mr Hill was diagnosed with epilepsy and a brain tumour after he was found collapsed in his bedroom. He said: "It was a big surprise. I was a fit, healthy person and in the judo team."

The golf-ball-sized tumour was near the area of the brain that deals with language and communication. Mr Hill is part of the choir at Imperial College, and was concerned that the surgery might affect his speech and ability to sing.

Half way through the operation, he was gently woken up and asked to talk - and sing - so that surgeons could be sure that these would not be affected.

A speech therapist worked with Mr Hill as the surgeons removed the last parts of the tumour.The operation was a complete success, though Mr Hill will need to be monitored regularly in the coming years. He said he was now well on the road to recovery and looking forward to getting back to his physics PhD next year.

Mr Hill said being ill had given him a new perspective on life, adding that in the future "I'll be remembering just to be happy" The research at Imperial College is part-funded by the charity Brain Tumour Research.

Chief executive Sue Farrington Smith said: "Advances in brain tumour surgery such as this are very exciting and give hope to the thousands of patients and their families diagnosed with a brain tumour each year."