There was a solid cerebellar haemangioblastoma on the list. These are rare tumours which are formed of a mass of blood vessels. They are benign – meaning that they can be cured by surgery – but they will prove fatal if untreated. There is a small risk of disaster with surgery, since the mass of blood vessels can cause catastrophic haemorrhage if you do not handle the tumour correctly, but there is a much greater chance of success. This is the kind of operation that neurosurgeons love – a technical challenge with a profoundly grateful patient at the end of it if all goes well.
