London: A 67-year-old British man has undergone a successful heart surgery using the revolutionary Cyberknife technology for the first time ever.

Michael Kilby, who comes from Moreton in Marsh, Glouchestershire, was told by doctors that he wouldn't live beyond Christmas this year, until he agreed to give radiation surgery a chance.

The businessman's death was a surety because of the tumor, larger than a golf ball, found inside the right chamber of his heart.

However, radiation scalpel, called the Cyberknife, became Kilby's lifesaver.

The highly focused radiation, like a 'scalpel,' was used to cut away the tumour inside his beating heart. The radiation beams were controlled by a robotic with an accuracy of one millimetre arm attack the tumour.

Also pieces of gold were aligned to Kilby's heart for protection.

The operation has been called successful as the tumour has already shrunk by 40 per cent and is expected to shrink further over the next three to four weeks.

"My options were to give the Cyberknife a go or I was going to die by Christmas. I talked to my wife and the children who said they did not want any inheritance so we went for it," the Telegraph quoted Kilby as saying.

He added: "I was treated for five days with each session lasting for about an hour and a half. You cannot feel anything at all, its just like radiotherapy.

"Before the Cyberknife I couldn't speak in long sentences because I would get out breath, but now I can walk a few holes of the golf course."

Dr John Coltart, consultant cardiologist at the Harley Street Clinic, in London, said: "Three months ago his prognosis was terrible, now he may live for a good while yet.

"No one had ever done this before, it was a bit of innovative thinking to give this gentleman a chance. All our expectations have been realised."

Kilby had previously undergone conventional surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which were all unfruitful. (ANI)