The popular medical documentary series returns on Wednesday 6 May at 9pm, bringing audiences back to Scotland to follow the powerful stories of specialist teams carrying out innovative surgeries across Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Every year, NHS Lothian performs around 55,000 complex operations at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, the Western General Hospital and St John’s Hospital in nearby Livingston. The specialist expertise of the surgical teams means they treat patients from across Scotland.
The Western General is one of only two centres in Scotland able to treat very rare male cancers. CJ Shukla, Consultant Urological Surgeon, is treating a patient with a cancer so rare that most people have never heard of it. Penile cancer affects just seven hundred men in the UK each year.
CJ’s patient – 48-year-old Alastair from Inverness – has recently been diagnosed with a cancerous tumour on the head of his penis. Scans have confirmed that the disease has already progressed, and Alastair now faces a highly complex and challenging operation.
Six miles across the city, the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh provides specialist gynaecological care for women across the east of Scotland.
Consultant Gynaecologist Cameron Martin’s next patient is Laura, a 37‑year‑old from Edinburgh with stage‑four endometriosis, a chronic condition affecting one in ten women and known to cause inflammation, pain and heavy periods.
While endometriosis is relatively common, it is often difficult to diagnose, and Laura’s case is exceptionally rare. Her condition has led to the development of a massive pelvic cyst, measuring almost 20 centimetres in length, which has destroyed one of her kidneys and requires the help of Consultant Urological Surgeon Alex Laird to operate.
Dr Tracey Gillies, Medical Director, NHS Lothian, said: “We are delighted to be featured again in the upcoming series of Surgeons: At the Edge of Life. I’d like to thank the patients who generously agreed to share their stories, and the clinical and support teams whose professionalism and commitment make this work possible. Their willingness to open the doors to our operating theatres gives viewers a rare insight into the complex, life‑changing care provided for patients from across Scotland.”
The series is made by Dragonfly Film and Television Productions for BBC Two, BBC Scotland and iPlayer. It was commissioned by BBC Specialist Factual and BBC Scotland.
The first episode airs at 9 pm on Wednesday 6 May, on BBC Two and at 9 pm on Monday 11 May, on the BBC Scotland channel. It will be available on iPlayer from Wednesday, 6 May.
