Surgeons: At The Edge Of Life | Series 8 Preview (BBC Two)

The popular medical documentary series returns and is again in Scotland, following the compelling stories of the specialists who carry out innovative surgeries and their patients.

Every year, some 55,000 complex operations are carried out at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, the Western General Hospital and St John’s Hospital in nearby Livingston. The surgical teams’ specialisms mean performing operations for patients from all over the country.

The Western General is one of only two centres in Scotland able to treat very rare male cancers. Consultant Urological Surgeon, CJ Shukla, has 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 and scans confirm this fast-growing cancer has already progressed.

Alastair now faces an incredibly complex operation.Scans indicate that after a partial amputation, there would be enough length left for Alastair to have sex and urinate standing up. But that will require CJ to reconstruct a functioning penisThe surgeon will then tackle the left groin, where the cancer has already spread, removing all the lymph nodes in this area.

Six miles across the city is NHS Lothian’s largest hospital, the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, which provides specialist gynaecological care for women across the east of Scotland. Consultant Gynaecologist Cameron Martin’s next patient, Laura from Edinburgh, has stage 4 endometriosis – a chronic condition affecting one in ten women, which causes inflammation, pain and heavy periods.

Endometriosis, though difficult to diagnose, is a relatively common condition, but 37-year-old Laura’s case is highly unusual. Her endometriosis has resulted in a huge pelvic cyst which has grown to almost 20cm in length and destroyed one of her kidneys.

Cameron’s main aim is to remove the large cyst intact along with all traces of endometriosis but to do this safely, he must enlist the help of Consultant Urological Surgeon, Alex Laird. His role will be to remove the damaged kidney and ensure their patient’s only functioning kidney is protected throughout this invasive, complex surgery.

They must both work together to remove the cyst before Cameron can carry out a total hysterectomy.

Surgeons: At The Edge Of Life returns Wednesday 6th May at 9pm on BBC Two.