The hospital's team of neurosurgeons can now perform Endoscopic Spine Surgery (ESS), a minimally invasive surgical technique where a small probe and camera are used through a keyhole incision to perform surgery as a day case procedure.

Shuaibu Dambatta, consultant in neurosurgery at Hull Royal Infirmary who performs complex spinal surgeries, said: ‘Instead of making large incisions, we can make much smaller cuts, less than the size of a finger, to operate on the spine so it's a much better, safer and less traumatic experience for patients.

‘As the cuts are so small, the surgery is far less invasive and safer for patients, who can have the surgery as a day case, with most able to go home that same day to begin their recovery.'

NHS Humber Health Partnership was able to purchase the equipment thanks to independent hospital charity WISHH and Ruth and Tony Knowles, who have raised more than £176,000 in memory of their daughter, who died of a brain tumour.

The trust, which runs Hull Royal, Castle Hill Hospital, Goole and District Hospital, Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby and Scunthorpe General Hospital, has also been able to purchase a computer model of the spine called an UpSurgeon Trainer, which will be used to train doctors in the new form of the surgery.