Howard Brydon has been a Consultant neurosurgeon at Royal Stoke University Hospital since September 1998 and now carries out cranial neurosurgery exclusively and takes pride that he can call himself a true brain surgeon! Here he gives us an insight into the person behind the surgeon.

“My principle areas of practice are brain tumours and brain aneurysms as well as arteriovenous malformations and hydrocephalus and head injuries, when I am on call for the Major Trauma Centre.

I trained in neurosurgery because of its complicity. The brain is the most complex thing in the known universe and it is fascinating and challenging to be operating on it. The practice developments and new technology over the past two decades are also thrilling.

The most memorable experience I have had in hospital was operating on an unconscious woman with a ruptured aneurysm, on her 21^st birthday, shortly after she had an emergency caesarean section at 37 weeks of pregnancy. My most work-related memorable experience out of hospital was meeting astronaut James Lovell (Apollo 13) after an inspirational talk at a conference in the San Francisco. I can therefore link myself to many Hollywood actors and some world leaders within 6 degrees of separation (and Kevin Bacon within only 2!).

I have a number of interests out of theatres which include church activities, reading and model making. My crowning achievement is a 1m long, fully-rigged model of Cutty Sark.

As with any surgeon, my favourite part of the job is operating and improving lives and the least favourite is the frustration of not being able to do what is necessary through lack of resources.