News

A television series that gives a unique insight into the world-class surgery undertaken at Addenbrooke’s Hospital returns to TV screens next week.

BBC Two’s Surgeons: At the Edge of Life will run from 9pm every Wednesday from January 18.

The hour-long episodes feature complex, multi-stage, operations that push the limits of what is surgically possible.

The first episode, titled Back from the brink, captures clinicians as they treat two patients brought in following road traffic collisions, and another following a fall. One has a severed spinal cord.

It traces the immediate steps taken by trauma teams to assess and stabilise their patients, and the surgery needed to get them back on the road to recovery.

First in the spotlight are Dr Mark Kotter, Dr Soumya Mukherjee, Mr Lee Van Ransburg, Mr Jai Rawal, Dr Sam Todd, Dr Rishi Rallan, Dr Adrian Boyle, Dr Svet Petkov and Dr Liam Barrett.

The series, which is produced by Dragonfly Film & TV (a Banijay UK company), features interviews with clinicians, stories from patients and families, and a series of short vignettes that throw a spotlight on lesser known areas of hospital work and research.

Much of the filming was achieved using fixed rig cameras linked to remote galleries based outside the emergency department, or within the trust’s main theatres. This latest series is the third to be filmed at Addenbrooke’s over the past two years.

Medical director Dr Ashley Shaw said: “Once again we want to thank our patients and families for having the courage to share their stories and bring hope and inspiration to others who may be facing similar medical challenges. I would also like to thank staff and the production team for the parts they have played in making this important documentary.”