General Surgery

The General Surgery department based at Sandwell Hospital deals with conditions of the stomach, liver, kidneys, intestines and other vital organs in the abdomen (belly). There are 14 surgeons in the team, each with specialist knowledge and experience. Many of the procedures carried out by the team are Day Surgery cases.

 Adults and children with abdominal problems are dealt with either through routine outpatient appointments, or if necessary by emergency procedure. The department offers a comprehensive service from initial assessment through to surgery, medication or counseling. We also operate a 2-week fast-track system for any GP-referred patients with cancer symptoms. 

The department also carries out breast surgery at Birmingham Treatment Centre.

Team

Consultant surgeons

Colorectal:

Mr Neil Cruickshank

Mr Manickam Vairavan

Mr Kevin Wheatley

Mr Howard Joy

Mr Vijay Thumbe

Miss Katherine Gill

Mr Misra Budhoo

Upper GI:

Mr Edward Harper

Mr Dham Mobarak

General Surgery:

Mr Mohammed Haniff

Ms Veronique Laloe

Breast:

Mrs Luna Vishwanath

Mr Hamish Brown

Miss Fiona Hoar

Mr Mehboob Mirza

Mr Martin Sintler

Specialist Nurses: 

Colorectal:

Mandie Ballentine (Macmillan colorectal nurse)

Sarah Connor (Macmillan colorectal nurse)

Denise Pugh (Macmillan colorectal nurse)

Jodie Jevons (colorectal nurse)

Kath Dawes (colorectal nurse)

Jenny Simpson (enhanced post-op recovery team)

Upper GI:

Tina Davies

Jo Harvey

Breast care:

Marcia Berry

Amanda Jones

Geraldine Sheridan

Sue Frost

Helen Taylor

Services

The general surgery team treats many abdominal conditions, and offers several clinics. The team also carries out endoscopy services (using a tiny video camera on a thin, flexible tube to see inside the body).

 The team provides planned and acute surgical procedures in the following areas:

Colorectal Surgery

Colorectal surgery deals with conditions in the lower gastro-intestinal tract. This consists of the colon (large intestine) and the rectum (back passage). Surgeons deal with conditions that are benign (harmless lumps, piles, obstructions) or malignant (cancerous). Conditions treated also include fissures, fistulas, colitis, Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease.

Many of these conditions can be treated with keyhole surgery to avoid open surgery. Instead of creating a large opening during surgery, a much smaller incision is made. Surgeons use state-of-the-art instruments used to complete the procedure. Some procedures can be carried out under local anaesthetic (while patients are awake). Patients benefit from smaller scars, a quicker recovery and shorter stays in hospital.

Specialist clinics provided are:

Rectal Clinics – for all rectal and colonic symptoms, and urgent referrals

Pelvic floor and functional bowel clinic – for disorders of the bowel and evacuation problems

Anal physiology clinic – problems with defecation

Stoma clinics – provided by a specialist nursing team for patients with colostomies

Upper GI Surgery

The upper gastro-intestinal tract includes the oesophagus (the food tube which links the throat to the stomach), the stomach itself, duodenum and pancreas. The team deals with benign (non-cancerous) disorders like ulcers, hyperacidity and anti-reflux surgery. Many of these conditions can be treated with keyhole surgery to avoid open surgery.

General Surgery

General surgery deals with conditions of the gall bladder, such as gallstones or complete removal, and stones in the bile duct. The team also treats various forms of hernia (a tear in the muscles of the belly) in either the groin or abdomen. Many of these conditions can be treated with keyhole surgery to avoid open surgery.

Emergency Surgery

The General Surgery team carries out acute surgical procedures for all conditions affecting the abdomen.  The most common are conditions of the appendix, or ulcer perforations in the stomach or duodenum. The team also deals with emergency procedures for the gall bladder, along with perforation or obstruction of the colon or small intestine.

Lyndon 2 at Sandwell is a ward dedicated to such emergency procedures, with highly skilled and experienced nursing and support staff.

Paediatric Surgery

Children aged 2 to 16 who need surgery for hernias , undescended testes , circumcision , tongue tie division or minor skin lumps are seen and operated on at Sandwell Hospital and at the Birmingham Treatment centre.

Breast Surgery

The Breast Unit is located in a dedicated clinic at Birmingham Treatment Centre. The Team consists of general and specialist surgeons, nurses, radiologists, pathologists, oncologists and plastic surgeons.

We hold Rapid Access Clinics on three mornings per week for assessing urgent and routine breast conditions. We also hold family history clinics where women are seen and assessed to ascertain if there is a family history of breast cancer which would increase their own risk of developing the disease.

We also have a team of breast care nurses who provide counseling and support to patients who are either suspected of, or confirmed with, having the disease.

We currently provide breast screening services for west, north & east Birmingham. Breast screening is offered to all women between the ages of 50 – 70 yrs every 3 years. Women over 70 can request continued screening by contacting their local breast screening office.

Patient Stories

Please feel free to share your experiences of this service. Please e-mail your views to swbh.comms@nhs.net

Contacts

For individual contact numbers please call one of the secretaries on 0121 507 3149.

Breast screening office enquiries: 0121 507 4967