November 2011
It still amazes me that some people still have a perception of private healthcare being all about treating relatively minor operations, like in-growing toenails and the such.
In reality patients can access treatments and procedures for the whole spectrum of medical complaints, from facelifts to cardiology, weight loss to brain surgery.
And here at Spire Bristol Hospital we are able to offer more than most, and can now add thoracic surgery to our list of treatments on offer after thoracic specialist Tim Batchelor set up his private practice here.
Thoracic surgery involves the surgical management of a number of diseases and disorders of the chest, both malignant and benign. Surgery ranges from diagnostic and staging procedures through to radical treatment. Conditions treated include:
- Lung cancer
- Lung metastases (usually from colorectal cancer)
- Pleural effusion
- Pneumothorax
- Empyema
- Mediastinal tumours (e.g. thymoma, neurogenic tumours) and cysts
- Myasthenia gravis
- Chest wall tumours
- Pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum
- Chest trauma
- Palmar hyperhydrosis and facial blushing
Operations performed include:
- Major lung resection (lobectomy, pneumonectomy, segmentectomy, wedge resection)
- Mediastinoscopy
- Bronchoscopy (rigid)
- Lung biopsy (VATS)
- Pleural biopsy (VATS)
- Bullectomy and pleurectomy (VATS)
- Thymectomy (trans-cervical/VATS)
- Pectus repair
- Sympathectomy/sympathicotomy (VATS)
So it’s is good to know that the provision of major surgery such as cardiac, neuro and now thoracic is offered by private healthcare in addition to the NHS.