e-Consultation with Colorectal surgeons

Professional statement

Mr Muti Abulafi is a highly skilled consultant surgeon with over 30 years' experience in both colorectal and general surgery. He has a special interest in colorectal cancer care and currently acts as lead for the colorectal cancer multidisciplinary team at Croydon University Hospital. His other specialist interests include colorectal and keyhole surgery, colonoscopy, inflammatory bowel disease, pelvic floor dysfunction, and hernia operations. Mr Abulafi takes a keen interest in research, and has published extensively on colorectal cancer and cancer genetics. He is actively involved in training and education, having helped found and establish the annual M25 colorectal course, which teaches trainee surgeons and educates them on all aspects of colorectal surgery. Mr Abulafi is a member of several specialist surgical associations in the UK and Europe and is the current Chair of the Colorectal Cancer Pathway Group at the Royal Marsden Partners Cancer Vanguard.

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Professional statement

Professor Manish Chand is a world-renowned colorectal surgeon practising at The London Clinic and an associate professor of surgery at the University College London. He specialises in laparoscopic surgery and robotic surgery, with considerable experience using the Da Vinci Xi system, to treat all colorectal and protology diseases and disorders such as colorectal cancer and IBD. He is considered a key opinion leader and recognised expert in laparoscopic rectal surgery and imaging of rectal cancer. Professor Chand completed his BSc in neurosciences from King's College London and then graduated from Royal Free Hospital London with MBBS (Hons). Following this, he taught an anatomy and physiology course at Oxford University and then became an honorary neurosciences tutor at Balliol College in Oxford for five years. Professor Chand subsequently completed his basic surgical training at King's College Hospital London and earned a PhD from The Royal Marsden Hospital and Imperial College. Professor Chand currently oversees colorectal cancer research at University College London precisely studying fluorescence-guided surgery, advanced imaging modalities and augmented reality. Additionally, he is the director of a master's course at University College London which is regarded as the most innovative and technologically advanced surgery programme of its kind. It has a leading international faculty made up of Cleveland Clinic, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Apollo Hospital Group and Humanitas Milano. Professor Chand has presented numerous lectures both on a national and international level and has written over 100 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and surgical journals. He is also a co-investigator in surgical technology at the famous EPSRC Wellcome Centre and works very closely with Touch Surgery and the AIS Channel researching innovative digital surgery.

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Professional statement

Mr Tariq Ismail is a leading consultant colorectal surgeon in Birmingham with a special interest in colorectal treatments, benign diseases, and colorectal cancer. He was one of the first surgeons to perform SILS (Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery) for bowel cancer in the UK. Mr Ismail was also instrumental in setting up the Birmingham Bowel Clinic, which is the first private centre of excellence for managing bowel conditions in the West Midlands.  Graduating from Cardiff University School of Medicine in 1982, he was accredited his FRCS in 1986 and furthered his surgical training in Birmingham, Hong Kong and at the National Cancer Centre in Tokyo. He was awarded the prestigious Sheldon Research Fellowship, which led to his MD award as a distinction in his doctorate thesis. Following his training in gastrointestinal surgery, Mr Ismail was appointed as a consultant surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and as an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Birmingham. He currently practices at the BMI Priory Hospital and BMI The Edgbaston Hospital. He is a past member of the charity Fundraising Committee of the Bowel Disease Research Foundation that promotes research, education and public awareness in the disease, including bowel cancer.  Mr Ismail has appeared on the BBC2 programme Don't Die Young and on Channel 4's Embarrassing Bodies. 

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Professional statement

Mr Michael Stellakis is one of the UK’s leading laparoscopic abdominal surgeons, offering a range of state-of-the-art treatments for hernia, gallbladder disease, colon cancer, sports groin injuries, and irritable bowel syndrome, from his private practice at Nuffield Health Warwickshire Hospital. Mr Stellakis is one of the few UK surgeons who has performed over 1500 TEP laparoscopic hernias with excellent audited results, and is the most experienced laparoscopic hernia surgeon in the Midlands. This technique, whilst more complex to perform than other keyhole or open repairs, affords the patient less pain and scarring and quicker recovery whilst being safer than other techniques. Mr Stellakis is also one of only 57 consultant surgeons in the UK qualified to train other consultants in advanced keyhole techniques for removing bowel cancers. He is an early pioneer of this form of treatment, having set up from scratch the keyhole bowel cancer service at Warwick hospital, then trained junior surgeons and fellows to introduce the procedure across the Midlands. Mr Stellakis’ comfort and patient satisfaction scores are excellent, and he is audited on a regular basis. Originally qualifying in Medicine from the University of Bristol in 1991, Mr Stellakis trained at a number of institutes of excellence in London, Paris and Strasbourg, before completing a fellowship in laparoscopic bowel surgery at Frimley Park Hospital in 2004. Mr Stellakis is additionally a fellow of the Association of Coloproctology, Great Britain and Ireland, and of the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons. In addition to his private practice he has 14 years’ experience as consultant laparoscopic surgeon at South Warwickshire Foundation Trust.

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Professional statement

Mr Rajeev Peravali is a highly-experienced consultant colorectal surgeon based in Birmingham who has to date performed well over 5000 major and minor surgeries. His areas of expertise include IBD, Crohn’s disease, gallstone surgery, rectal prolapse, bowel cancer, hernia and laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery. In 2004, Mr Peravali graduated from the University of Birmingham and later underwent the highest level of training in general and colorectal surgery. Over his 15 years of training, he practised in some of the largest and most important surgical units in the UK, including University Hospital Birmingham, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and Cambridge University Hospital. When his training ended, he was selected for the prestigious John Goligher Fellowship in advanced coloproctology. During the fellowship, Mr Peravali further acquired highly specialised skills in laparoscopic surgery, bowel cancer surgery, surgery for inflammatory bowel disease and the management of functional problems of the pelvic floor, in particular, prolapse, constipation and faecal incontinence. Almost 90% of his major colorectal surgery is now performed laparoscopically. Much of Mr Peravali's research on enhanced recovery after surgery has been presented and published both nationally and internationally and has also trained numerous junior surgeons and consultants in major keyhole colorectal resections. He is currently the lead inflammatory bowel disease surgeon at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust and practises privately at BMI The Edgbaston Hospital, Spire Little Aston Hospital and BMI The Priory Hospital.

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Professional statement

Mr Gordon Neil Buchanan is a leading colorectal surgeon based in London. His specialities span the field of colorectal surgery, but focusses on haemorrhoids, proctology, laparoscopy and hernias. Mr Buchanan graduated from St Thomas' Hospital, London and has gone on to receive advanced training in his field. Mr Buchanan is actively involved in research and has published numerous articles on a variety of aspects of colorectal surgery, particularly looking at anorectal conditions and more recently his research has been on laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancer. He is also member of many prestigious medical associations in both the UK and Europe, including the British Medical Association and the European Association of Endoscopic Surgery.

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Professional statement

Mr Yüksel​ Gerçek is a consultant general and colorectal surgeon based in Bedford. His specialities include general surgery, abdominal wall hernia, colorectal surgery (lower gastrointestinal), colorectal cancer, laparoscopic cholecystectomy and haemorrhoids. Mr Gerçek is highly trained with almost 20 years of experience. He gained his qualifications in general and colorectal surgery in Belgium before moving to Dundee, Scotland, to receive further training. He currently practices in Bedford, England. He participates in teaching, supervision and audits within his field and is also involved in projects for junior doctors. He is a member of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland (ACPGBI). 

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Professional statement

Mr Richard Lovegrove is a consultant colorectal and general surgeon based in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, specialising in the management of inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer and haemorrhoids. He is also an expert in laparoscopic surgical techniques.  Mr Lovegrove qualified from King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry and after completing his basic surgical training he undertook a research degree at Imperial College, London focusing on the outcomes of ileal pouch surgery. Following this, Mr Lovegrove helped to establish the UK National Ileal Pouch Registry which is now in use across Europe. Mr Lovegrove has been a consultant colorectal surgeon since 2014 and since 2017 he has been the clinical director for endoscopy at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. Alongside this, in his private practice, Mr Lovegrove offers numerous general surgical procedures, such as hernia repair and haemorrhoid surgery.

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Professional statement

Miss Sarah Mills is a highly-reputable colorectal surgeon based in London. From her NHS base at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital she specialises in colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and haemmorhoids though her expertise is far wider. She is a JAG-accredited endoscopist and is developing a specialist practice in interventional endoscopy and cutting-edge techniques for treating complex polyps and early rectal cancers. She has an active interest in surgical research and has published widely in peer-reviewed journals. You can see Miss Mills' medical data showing her surgical and endoscopy numbers and length of stay here: https://www.phin.org.uk Miss Mills has an interest in Global Health and regularly leads and teaches courses in low and middle income countries in Africa. These include the SAFE OR course, a multidisciplinary course for theatre teams of surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses focussing on using non- technical skills such as communication, leadership, situational awareness, decision making and conflict resolution to improve patient safety and outcomes.

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Professional statement

Mr Pasha Nisar is a leading general and colorectal surgeon in Chertsey, Windsor, Woking and London, who specialises in colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease surgery. He is an expert in laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery for bowel cancer and hernia, haemorrhoid treatment and colonoscopy. Mr Nisar is the lead for colorectal surgery at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust and lead for endoscopy at Princess Margaret Hospital, Windsor. He studied medicine at Trinity College, Cambridge University and Addenbrooke’s Hospital. He was awarded a doctorate from the University of Nottingham for his thesis at the Academic Surgical Unit. Mr Nisar’s specialist training was completed in London Deanery, including at St George’s, Frimley Park and Royal Surrey Hospitals. He spent one year at the Cleveland Clinic USA, a world renowned centre of excellence at the Digestive Disease Institute training under Professor Vic Fazio. Mr Nisar’s focus is on achieving the best clinical outcomes and excellent results for patients with a focus on enhanced recovery. He was the recipient of the Colorectal Surgeon of The Year 2019 by Global Health and Pharma. He is a high volume surgeon and an expert in keyhole surgery for abdominal and groin hernia and bowel conditions such as colorectal cancer and colitis as well as minimally invasive haemorrhoid treatment including Rafaelo and HALO procedures. Mr Nisar is skilled and experienced in endoscopy, colonoscopy and polyp removal. He is a specialist in pelvic floor treatment for constipation and incontinence and performs keyhole repair of rectal prolapse. He has extensive experience in managing peri-anal conditions such as fissures, fistulae and rectal bleeding. He also regularly performs laparoscopic bowel surgery for endometriosis.   

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Professional statement

Mr Emin Carapeti is a highly trained and skilled consultant colorectal surgeon with over 25 years of professional experience. Patients can access his first-class private care at the renowned London Bridge Hospital,108 Medical Chambers and Harley Street Specialist Hospital in Central London. As a specialist in general surgery and lower GI (gastrointestinal) surgery, he has gained expertise in all aspects of colorectal conditions. Mr Carapeti is highly regarded for his specialist management of pilonidal sinus surgery (simple and complex). He has pioneered new surgical techniques in complex recurrent pilonidal disease, as well as and day-case surgery for haemorrhoids. His other areas of expertise include treatment for rectal bleeding, anal fissures, pruritus, simple and complex anal fistulas, inguinal hernias and umbilical hernias.  He is also regarded for his knowledge and skill in colonoscopy and has assisted countless patients with the successful application of colonoscopy for diagnosis and management. His specialist interest in this area began during his training at St Mark's Hospital in London, where he underwent advanced training in all types of colonoscopy, including therapeutic colonoscopy. As a consultant colorectal surgeon at St Thomas’ Hospital between 2000 to 2012, he set up a regionally and nationally recognised tertiary referral practice for surgical treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), working closely with nationally recognised luminal gastroenterologists. In more recent years, Mr Carapeti is involved in the management of other general and lower GI conditions, but his leading expertise means he is still invited to provide professional opinions on complex cases. He has published widely on several topics, including anorectal disorders and pilonidal sinus disease. This also includes featuring in book chapters. Along with patient care and medical research, he is passionate about the teaching and training of future surgical specialists. He was previously an examiner in surgery for the Royal College of Surgeons of England and has been a tutor and lecturer for numerous workshops and courses.

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Professional statement

Mr Shashank Gurjar is a consultant general & colorectal surgeon specialising in laparoscopic (keyhole) & open surgery for bowel cancer (colon & rectum), IBD (Crohn's disease & ulcerative colitis) and surgical treatment of diverticular disease. He offers specialist expertise in laparoscopic groin (inguinal, femoral) and all abdominal wall hernia surgery. He manages all common coloproctology including haemorrhoid surgery (THD and Rafaelo), fistula surgery, pilonidal sinus and anal fissure treatments. He is an accredited endoscopist with expertise in colonoscopy and polypectomy. Mr Gurjar qualified as a doctor from Imperial College London in 1997, and then completed his basic surgical training at King's College. He completed specialist training in colorectal surgery in the South East Thames region and gained the FRCS degree in 2009. He has completed a senior post-CCT fellowship in pelvic floor surgery at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford which gave him expert training in the management of rectal prolapse and evacuatory disorders. He has an active research interest in clinical surgery and pelvic floor dysfunction and has published various papers in peer-reviewed journals. He is an examiner for the General Medical Council and actively trains young surgeons in laparoscopic keyhole surgery, as well as teaching medical students. Mr Gurjar ensures all his patients have a high quality, evidence-based approach to their care. He holds a substantive NHS consultant post at Luton & Dunstable Hospital, and also holds practising privileges at several independent hospitals in North London and Hertfordshire.

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Professional statement

Mr Asif Haq is an expert consultant laparoscopic, colorectal and general surgeon in London, who holds a special interest in laparoscopic and robotic surgery. He is an expert in the treatment of bowel cancer, rectal bleeding, haemorrhoids, inflammatory bowel disease and diverticular disease. He also holds an interest in revision abdominal surgery, particularly incisional hernia repairs and he is able to repair simple hernias using the latest techniques and meshes to minimise pain and scarring. Mr Haq graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He completed his general surgical rotation in England and his specialist colorectal training in London and Canada. After his completion of training, he obtained two prestigious laparoscopic fellowships nationally and internationally, in Canada. He is passionate about teaching and training, doing so both nationally and internationally. Mr Haq is a member of the charitable Network of Iranians for Knowledge and Innovation, with whom he visits hospitals annually in Iran to train medical students and doctors through live surgery, training workshops, lectures and seminars.

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Professional statement

Mrs Katie Cross is a highly experienced consultant surgeon who sees patients at North Devon District Hospital. She specialises in bowel cancer and offers open and laparoscopic surgery tailored to the patient's needs. Mrs Cross has an interest in benign anal conditions such as anal fissures, fistulas and haemorrhoids offering digital guided hemorrhoidal artery ligation and rectopexy. Mrs Cross trained at St. Thomas' Hospital, London and qualified in 1994. She worked at Guys and St. Georges Hospital in Tooting, London, as an anatomy demonstrator before moving to Bristol where she had her junior surgical training at the United Hospitals Bristol and North Bristol NHS Trust. Mrs Cross undertook research into the effect of epidural on the colon at the University of Bristol. As a Specialist Registrar she rotated throughout almost all the hospitals in the south west. Mrs Cross gained laparoscopic experience at North Bristol NHS Trust from one of the country's leading laparoscopic surgeons and she took part in LAPCO, the national laparoscopic training programme. She gained experience in Inflammatory Bowel Disease at the United Hospital Bristol and paediatric surgical training at Bristol Children's Hospital. Mrs Cross was the director of cancer services for North Devon for 10 years and clinical director for support services (inc theatres, anaesthetics, ITU, radiology, pathology, endoscopy, haematology, oncology, chemotherapy, palliative care, resus, pharmacy, outpatients, ED and MIUs for ND), she has now taken on lead for mentoring and coaching, aiming to improve the workplace for those working in it. She is a south-west regional specialist professional advisor in general surgery to the Royal College of Surgeons London. She sits on the ASGBI National Committee. She she also sits on the committee for colonoscopy and the committee for proctology for the ACPGBI nationally. She sits on the Senate Council  for the SW, being actively involved in NHS service redesign.

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Professional statement

Mr Adnan Alam is a consultant colorectal surgeon in London whose area of expertise lies in the treatment of lower gastrointestinal disorders such as bowel cancer, polyps, inflammatory disorders of the bowel and irritable bowel syndrome. He also specialises in colonoscopy and haemorrhoids.  Mr Alam graduated from Edinburgh University in 1997 and since then has been mainly working around London. He completed his higher surgical training in North East London and obtained his Masters in surgery from the University College London in 2007. In 2010 Mr Alam became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. 

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Professional statement

Mr Paul Ziprin is a consultant general surgeon based in London who sees patients at St John and St Elizabeth Hospital, the London Digestive Centre and the Lindo Wing, St Mary's Hospital. Mr Ziprin specialises in colorectal surgery, the treatment of hernias and the surgical management of gallstones as well as other aspects of general and laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery. He specialises in the treatment of rectal bleeding, fissures and management of haemorrhoids, and the treatment of patients with colorectal (bowel) and anal cancer as well as benign conditions such as diverticular disease and inflammatory bowel disease.. Mr Ziprin qualified in 1992 from the University of Wales and was awarded an MD for his thesis by the University of London as well as a Fellowship with the Royal College of Surgeons in 2003. Mr Ziprin took up a post at Imperial College in 2004 and was the lead for colorectal cancer services and general surgery until recently. Mr Ziprin has an active interest in research into the role of circulating tumour cells in predicting outcomes in colon cancer surgery, novel biomarkers in anal cancer and simulation in surgical education.

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Professional statement

Mr Savvas Papagrigoriadis is an experienced consultant colorectal and laparoscopic surgeon who has worked more than 20 years in Colorectal Surgery at King's College Hospital, London as Consultant Lead of Colorectal Surgery and Senior Lecturer. At present Mr Papagrigoriadis is an Honorary Consultant Surgeon with King's College Hospital seeing patients privately at 10 Harley Street. He is also Director of Colorectal Surgery at the Metropolitan Group of Hospitals in Athens, Greece. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain, the European Society of Coloproctology, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, the British Society of Gastroenterology, Chairman of the International Society of Pelvic Surgery. He is a reviewer of several major surgical journals.   Mr Papagrigoriadis specialises in laparoscopic colorectal surgery and was one of the first to practice it in the UK and has served as a national trainer of LapCo, the national training programme which trained NHS consultants in laparoscopic colorectal surgery.  Mr Papagrigoriadis is considered a national expert in TEMS endoscopic surgery for rectal tumours, having performed more than 300 TEMS operations and having served as the referral surgeon for this operation for SE London for two decades. He has used his experience in TEMS to take up early the pioneering technique of Transanal Total MesoRectal Excision (TaTME) for rectal cancer which allows most anal sphincters to be saved from permanent colostomy.  Mr Papagrigoriadis has a clinical and research interest in Diverticular Disease and has established and run for 15 years the first ever specialist Diverticular Disease Clinic at King's College Hospital. Mr. Papagrigoriadis has now relocated his Diverticular Disease Clinic at 10 Harley Street and sees patients by appointment. He also holds video consultations for second opinion with diverticular patients internationally. Mr Papagrigoriadis is an international expert and researcher on this condition, has co-organised five international conferences on diverticular disease and his research has looked into new treatment modalities which aim to save patients from surgery in the great majority of cases.  Mr Papagrigoriadis has an interest in pelvic floor disorders and treats patients with faecal incontinence, obstructive defecation syndrome and rectal prolapse. Mr Papagrigoriadis runs his own private pelvic floor laboratory.  He has over 150 publications in international journals, book chapters and conference proceedings and has led a group of researchers doing doctoral degrees under his supervision. 

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