Mrs Aruna Abhyankar

Practising at

Spire Cardiff Hospital

Treatment information

Some of the principal treatments carried out by Mrs Aruna Abhyankar at Spire include:

Paediatrics

Other treatments

Professional profile

I am a consultant paediatric surgeon with a specialist interest in paediatric urology. I have dual accreditation in paediatric surgery in India and the UK, and sub-specialist training of two years in paediatric urology at Great Ormond Street, and Evelina Children's Hospital (St Thomas') after which I returned to Cardiff as consultant.

I am on the specialist register of the GMC for paediatric surgery. I look after patients from 0-18 years of age. I also have been fully trained as a general surgeon which offers me additional awareness of management of paediatric conditions and their lasting legacy into adulthood. In my NHS practice, I perform elective and emergency paediatric surgery at tertiary level complexity.

An ongoing commitment to on call general paediatric surgery is immensely useful to maintain actual skills of complex decision making and management of complications or complicated pathologies. I look after neonates with complex malformations, trauma cases, common acute conditions such as appendicitis, testicular torsion, abdominal pain etc.

The majority of my elective surgical practice is paediatric urology and day case surgery, hernia, orchiopexy and circumcision – to name a few. I have specialist interest in complex hypospadias, management and minimally invasive surgery.

As a consultant, I have achieved the following developments:

1) Development of reconstructive complex hypospadias surgery. No child has required primary transfer elsewhere for this surgery.

2) Laparoscopic urinary tract surgery:

• Surgery for implapable testes
• Pyeloplasty, renal cyst surgery
• Uretro-uretrostomy
• Reimplantation
• Minimally Invasive ACE formation for bowel continence

3) Bladder service lead:

• Consultant-led triage of referrals for patient safety
• Facilitation and support to nurses for non-invasive tools bladder assessment
• Reduction in invasive and intrusive investigations
• Collaborating to develop a Hub and spoke arrangement
• Re-establishment of transition clinic into adulthood
• Commencement of prenatal counselling for complex urology pathologies including spina bifida

4) Independent skills in surgery for complex recto-urethral malformation

I work closely with my nursing and medical colleagues to explore surgical and nonsurgical strategies that best suit the child's needs.

Qualification and professional memberships

Professional memberships

British Association of Paediatric Surgeons
European Society of Pediatric Urology
International Children’s Continence Society

Current NHS posts

Consultant Paediatric Surgeon, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff

Research and Publication

Clinical research experience:

1. MS Thesis: Role of Mesh Laparostomy for management of Abdominal Sepsis (and introduction of cost-effective alternative)
2. MCh Thesis: Role of Diuretic renal scan in management of Antenatal Hydronephrosis
3. Randomised Trial of wound management after day Case Surgery; Cardiff; 2001-2003: Principal Investigator
4. Randomised double blind control trial of Intrasphincteric Botulinum Toxin Vs Placebo for management of Idiopathic Constipation: Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust: 2003-2005

Active participation in international meetings:

1. Open discussion at the British Association of Paediatric Urology (BAPU) Conference, September 2019. This was on the topic of: a rare case of posterior urethral valves and duplication of urethra. This child’s diagnosis was unraveled through careful review of history, selective radiology and he will need complex surgery to manage his continence. There are only 10 cases reported in the literature.
2. Panel discussion and presentation of my technique of laparoscopic assisted Ureteroureterostomy for duplex ureters at the BAPU 2017 conference. It is now being adopted by more centres across the UK, with some good feedback. The approach is significantly less invasive for children and safer.

Medical education:

It is an absolute pleasure to supervise and mentor students and trainees with varied experience and skills. I encourage them to explore the opportunities for self-learning, collaboration and reflections. It is very gratifying to watch them complete projects and receive recognition of the good work they do.

Recent teaching activities:

BAPU Paediatric Urology Course; September 2019, Cambridge, UK.

Adult Urology Viva Course, London, April 2019.

Articles

Epidemiology and outcomes of advanced necrotising enterocolitis:

Abdominal cystic hemangioma mimicking appendicitis

Foundation Years Journal, volume 4, issue 10, page 20

Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography for the detection of crossing renal vessels in children with symptomatic ureteropelvic junction obstruction: comparison with operative findings

Management of chronic constipation and related faecal incontinence in children

Constipation in children

Congenital malformations of the diaphragm: findings of the West Midlands congenital anomaly register 1995 to 2000

Postoperative pneumatosis intestinalis in infants does not automatically preclude enteral feeding

Personal Profile

I enjoy oil painting and photography.

Music and travelling are some of the other activities I enjoy.

Private contact details