Mr Ben Byrne

I am a General and Upper GI Surgeon in Bristol, having started my NHS consultant post in 2020. I studied medicine at the University of Cambridge, and have undertaken clinical training in Southampton, London and Bristol regions. I completed additional sub-specialist training in oesophago-gastric cancer surgery at St Thomas' Hospital in London, one of the highest volume units in the country. I enjoy combining my clinical work with a strong academic interest, obtaining a PhD from Imperial College London in 2016, examining high performance in surgery at Centre for Patient Safety and Service Quality. I am passionate about contributing to ongoing research to improve patient experience and outcomes, particularly in the upper GI field.

I provide laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery for hernias and gallbladder disease, and specialise in laparoscopic and endoscopic techniques to manage oesophageal and gastric conditions such as reflux or achalasia. I also work in the oesophago-gastric team at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, the regional centre for oesophageal and gastric cancer, where we provide all forms of surgical and endoscopic treatment for early and more advanced forms of cancer.

I have performed over 300 hernia repairs using laparoscopic and open techniques I attended the Leicester Hernia Surgery Course, run by Professor David Lloyd, and prefer to use the TAPP approach to laparoscopic groin hernia repair. I have also performed over 300 cholecystectomies and over 1000 diagnostic and therapeutic upper GI endoscopies.

I am a GI and endoscopy governance lead at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. I am also co-lead for the local cholecystectomy quality improvement program, part of a national Royal College of Surgeons initiative. I am passionate about high quality information provision, and have written and extensively re-designed the website for our clinical team at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. I have also established a day case anti-reflux surgery pathway to improve access to surgery by reducing the need for an inpatient stay.