Thyroid surgeons in Wales? Need a recommendation please.

[Johnmax]

Has anyone here had a thyroid operation by a particularly good surgeon in Wales? I may soon need a partial thyroidectomy and want to have the best private surgeon possible. I'd rather it was in Wales as that's where I live (south west Wales in fact) but am prepared to travel a moderate distance (to Bristol for example) if that's the only other option. Wales is preferred though!

So, can anyone recommend a really good private thyroid surgeon in Wales please, or at least point me in the right direction to find someone highly skilled in that area.

Thanks

[TreorchyGal]

The surgeon I had on the NHS was really good his name is John Pollitt he operated on me in Prince Charles Hospital Merthyr.

[Johnmax]

Thanks for your speedy reply, that's most helpful.

Any other recommendations please? (it's always nice to have a selection).

[Lucky23 in reply to Johnmax]

Hi

There is a private hospital in Cardiff, The Spire. I don't know of any surgeon's but you could look it up online and you can see their names and check them out!

[Johnmax]

Thanks, will try that!

[vajra]

My (good) surgeon was in Ireland J, but if it's any help my impression is that while surgery isn't a cure per se they seem to be pretty reliable these days. I guess that if they get it wrong it's provable, and they get pretty clear feedback - unlike in the case of endos and physicians.

One view on selection is to go for (a) somebody with access to best practice (i.e. in a progressive teaching hospital with active international involvement and a good reputation), (b) with lots of experience of doing little if anything else, (c) in a hospital specialising in/with a high throughput of thyroid surgeries.

Age may be a factor, in that (judging by endos) some of the older guys can be very stuck in old practice. Temperament and context is the greater issue though - some stay up to the minute.

I found i got nowhere asking other doctors and nurses - few will speak candidly.

Some technical issues that seem to matter include thorough removal of all thryoid tissue - if the thyroidectomy is for a suspected cancer leaving thyroid tissue behind (as determined by testing for blood thyroglobulin levels) makes radioactive iodine therapy almost mandatory - while avoiding damage to nerves, muscle and blood supplies. The parathyroids have to be dissected free and are easily damaged, and there's speech related nerves in the area.

Good luck with it...

ian