Most people will have an operation in their lifetime, but few of us have a clue what really happens once we are put to sleep. This series goes beyond the theatre doors of the surgical unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, where 700 operations are carried out every week, across 42 specialist theatres. Whilst many operations are vital but routine, this series focuses on some of the country's top surgeons as they perform high-stakes surgery that simply wouldn't have been attempted a few years ago, pushing the boundaries of modern medicine to its very limits. Unprecedented opportunities to save lives offer surgeons the chance to develop their astonishing skills - but also carry daunting risks and responsibilities. A dark sense of humour, a cool head and extraordinary levels of accomplishment are the tools of the trade.\n\nIn the first episode, specialist maxillofacial surgeons Tim Martin and Sat Parmar prepare for a marathon operation on 53-year-old Teresa. Four weeks ago, Teresa was diagnosed with a fast-growing cancerous tumour in her face and she will die within weeks unless it is removed. The procedure involves radical surgery to the entire right-hand side of her face, and means she will lose both her upper jaw and right eye. It is an enormous undertaking for Teresa, and for Tim and Sat, too.\n\nUsing 3D imaging, the team plan how to remove the tumour and, most importantly, how they will rebuild Teresa's face. Tim and Sat are all too aware that whilst removing the tumour will save her life, it will be devastating if she is left disfigured and unable to face the world. To give her the best possible outcome, they intend to fill the cavity left in Teresa's face with a section of bone and muscle removed from her hip, using a 3D-printed plastic guide that helps them cut out the correct shape bone.
Source: BBC 2
Series 7: 6. Nothing Left To Chance
Consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon Rohit Gohil and consultant opthalmic surgeon Rob Peden are two of NHS Lothian’s leading specialists when it comes to complex cases ...
07-04-2025
BBC 2
Series 7: 5. The Finest Margins
In the department of clinical neurosciences at NHS Lothian's Royal Infirmary, surgeons take on complex brain surgery, where millimetres can be the difference between success and ...
31-03-2025
BBC 2
Series 7: 4. Rebuild And Renew
At St John’s Hospital in Livingston, consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon Ashley Hay specialises in some of the most challenging cancer cases: removing tumours from the ...
24-03-2025
BBC 2
Series 7: 3. All Or Nothing
At NHS Lothian's Royal Infirmary, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon Renzo Pessotto takes on some of the most challenging cases in his field, and his next patient is no exception ...
17-03-2025
BBC 2
Series 7: 2. In The Balance
Consultant colorectal surgeon Danielle Collins faces a challenging case at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital. Her patient has an aggressive tumour that has doubled in s ...
10-03-2025
BBC 2
Series 7: 1. A Lot To Lose
The hospitals of NHS Lothian serve a population of almost a million in Edinburgh and the surrounding area. Surgeons face life-changing and life-enhancing operations that involve ...
03-03-2025
BBC 2
Series 6: 6. Make Or Break
The specialists at Southampton work together to treat three patients who are suffering from life- and limb-threatening injuries. \n\nFifty-five-year-old Chris is airlifted to h ...
02-05-2024
BBC 2
Series 6: 5. We Can Rebuild You
Consultant cardiac surgeon Amit Modi is faced with the case of 70-year-old grandmother Jeanette, who is in desperate need of surgery, as her aorta - the body’s biggest art ...
24-04-2024
BBC 2
Series 6: 4. Hope
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 the ...
18-04-2024
BBC 2
Series 6: 3. The Best Laid Plans
University Hospital Southampton provides care for close to three million people across the south of England every year, treating patients with the most complex surgical needs. \ ...
11-04-2024
BBC 2
Series 7: 5. The Finest Margins
In the department of clinical neurosciences at NHS Lothian's Royal Infirmary, surgeons take on complex brain surgery, where millimetres can be the difference between success and ...
31-03-2025
BBC 2
Series 7: 6. Nothing Left To Chance
Consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon Rohit Gohil and consultant opthalmic surgeon Rob Peden are two of NHS Lothian’s leading specialists when it comes to complex cases ...
07-04-2025
BBC 2
Series 4: Episode 6
The major trauma team in Addenbrooke's are up against the clock to treat some of the country's most critically injured patients. Chef Adrian is rushed to hospital in the early h ...
29-12-2021
BBC 2
Series 6: 3. The Best Laid Plans
University Hospital Southampton provides care for close to three million people across the south of England every year, treating patients with the most complex surgical needs. \ ...
11-04-2024
BBC 2
Series 3: Episode 2
Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth hospitals are two of the country’s leading centres of medical excellence, and they are situated just metres apart on the Cambridge B ...
30-10-2020
BBC 2
Series 7: 2. In The Balance
Consultant colorectal surgeon Danielle Collins faces a challenging case at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital. Her patient has an aggressive tumour that has doubled in s ...
10-03-2025
BBC 2
Series 5: 2. Every Moment Counts
Surgeons at Addenbrooke’s Hospital perform brain surgery on a patient who is awake and attempt to repair a section of the body’s biggest blood vessel that’s th ...
31-01-2023
BBC 2
Series 4: Episode 4
Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge takes on some of the most challenging medical cases in the country. Its surgeons carry out operations that require such expertise, that ...
15-12-2021
BBC 2
Series 5: Episode 3
Surgeons at Addenbrooke’s operate against the clock to remove a kidney from a husband and transplant it into his wife, who is in end-stage kidney failure.
07-02-2023
BBC 2
Series 6: 6. Make Or Break
The specialists at Southampton work together to treat three patients who are suffering from life- and limb-threatening injuries. \n\nFifty-five-year-old Chris is airlifted to h ...
02-05-2024
BBC 2