Medical Specialities

A surgeon who is skilled in operating on the breast. A breast surgeon can biopsy a lump in the breast and, if found to be malignant, remove the lump. A breast surgeon may also do breast reconstruction following a mastectomy for breast cancer. Some breast surgeons also do cosmetic breast surgery.

A cardiologist is a doctor who specialises in diagnosing and treating conditions of the heart and blood vessels. Cardiologists usually focus or specialise in an area of care. For example, a pediatric cardiologist specializes in children's heart problems, especially heart defects present at birth (called congenital heart disease). A cardiologist who specializes in caring for adults may focus on preventing and treating heart disease and heart attacks.

Cardiothoracic surgery is surgery in the area of the heart, chest and lungs. A cardiothoracic surgeon is qualified to operate on the heart, areas of the chest and in some cases, the lungs. A small aspect of the specialty is the transplantation of both heart and lungs which is performed in only eight specialised centres in the United Kingdom.

A colorectal surgeon has a particular interest in the diseases of the colon and the rectum. To become proficient in the treatment and management of these conditions, a colorectal surgeon must undergo training in both general surgery and advanced training in problems of the lower digestive tract. A colorectal surgeon may also be known as a proctologist.

A dermatologist is the medical expert you should consult if you have any significant problem with your skin as well as hair and nails. Dermatologists also treat cosmetic disorders of the skin, including hair loss, scars, and the skin changes associated with the aging process.

Ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeons are trained in the surgical and medical treatment of conditions of the ears, nose, throat, head and neck, including some cosmetic surgery.

Endocrinologists diagnose diseases that affect your glands. They know how to treat conditions that are often complex and involve many systems within your body. They are trained to diagnose and treat hormone imbalances and problems by helping to restore the normal balance of hormones in your system. They take care of many conditions including diabetes and thyroid diseases. Endocrinologists also conduct basic research to learn the way glands work, and clinical research to learn the best methods to treat patients with a hormone imbalance.

Endocrine surgeons work very closely with endocrinologists in order to help patients that have been diagnosed with diseases that affect the glands. They will perform surgery in order to remove lumps, nodules or tumors found on the glands.

Gastroenterologists provide diagnosis and treatment of adult disorders of the digestive system (the esophagus, stomach, small and large intestine, liver and pancreas), including trouble with swallowing, heartburn, chest pain (not due to heart disease), ulcers, problems with digestion and elimination, and symptoms occurring after surgery. They also deal with chronic G.I. disorders such as Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis, hepatitis and pancreatitis. Procedures such as a sigmoidoscopy and a colonoscopy are carried out by gastroenterologists.

General physicians are highly trained specialists who provide a range of non-surgical health care to adult patients. They care for difficult, serious or unusual medical problems and continue to see the patient until these problems have resolved or stabilised.

General surgery, despite its name, is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal organs, e.g., intestines including esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland (depending on the availability of head and neck surgery specialists). They also deal with diseases involving the skin, breast, soft tissue, and hernias. These surgeons deal mainly in the torso.

A gynecologist specializes in issues regarding a woman’s reproductive system (ovaries, uterus, and vagina). They are trained to evaluate, recognize and treat potential disease of the reproductive system, and are also trained surgically to perform surgeries like hysterectomies, (removal of the uterus). Gynecologists are not only expert in women’s health issues but are also obstetricians.

Hematologists are medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the blood and blood system. For example anemia, blood-clotting disorders and leukemia. They may also perform procedures such as bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, order blood transfusions or diagnose blood disorders.

Hepatology is the branch of medicine that incorporates the study of liver, gallbladder, biliary tree, and pancreas as well as management of their disorders.

Hepatobiliary surgeons study diseases affecting the liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts. They carry out surgery for diseases that affect these areas that cannot be managed by other means. For example, gallbladder removal and liver transplants.

Immunologists look at biological sciences and the study of a human’s or organism’s defence (immune) system, in both health and disease.

Maxillofacial/Oral surgeons correct a wide spectrum of diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws and the hard and soft tissues of the maxillofacial/oral region. After a severe accident, a patient may be referred to a maxillofacial surgeon if he or she has suffered severe facial injuries. Surgery can help to correct cosmetic and other damages to the face as a result of the accident. In addition to cleaning up the physical appearance of a damaged face, the surgeon can address nerve damage and other issues which may cause pain for the patient.

A nephrologist is a physician who has been trained in the diagnosis and management of kidney disease, by regulating blood pressure, regulating electrolytes, balancing fluids in the body, and administering dialysis. Nephrologists treat many different kidney disorders including acid-base disorders, electrolyte disorders, nephrolithiasis (kidney stones), hypertension (high blood pressure), acute kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.

Neurosurgeons are specialist surgeons that operate on the spine and the brain. They generally perform procedures such as removal of brain tumors and complex spinal surgery. They are also concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves.

A neurologist is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and management of illnesses that affect the brain, spine and nervous system, for example, epilepsy.

An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems. Since ophthalmologists perform operations on eyes, they are considered to be both surgical and medical specialists.

Orthopaedic surgeons or orthopaedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the bones and muscles musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors, and congenital disorders. Surgeons can be split into different categories (shown on the right) associated with the part or parts of the body that they mainly deal with.

A pain management specialist focuses on your ability to function despite living with chronic pain. Their goal is to help you manage pain so that the quality of your life improves. You should be able to perform your usual daily living activities, work activities, and leisure activities with pain under control.

Pediatricians are doctors who care for children from birth to early adulthood. They specialise in diseases and ailments specific to young and growing bodies.

A pediatric surgeon is a trained surgeon specialising in the diagnosis and operative care of surgical issues in children. While general surgeons are fully qualified to operate on young patients, pediatric surgeons receive special training in the surgical repair of birth defects, surgical techniques specific to each stage of child development and the treatment of trauma in children.

A plastic surgeon deals with the repair, reconstruction, or replacement of physical defects involving the skin, musculoskeletal system, craniomaxillofacial structures, hand, extremities, breast, external genitalia or cosmetic enhancement of these areas of the body. The plastic surgeon uses cosmetic surgical principles both to improve overall appearance and to optimize the outcome of reconstructive procedures.

A consultant respiratory physician deals with diseases of the lungs and chest. These include; asthma, pneumonia, legionnaires disease, clots on the lungs, lung cancer and tuberculosis. They can also be referred to as chest physicians.

A rheumatologist or rheumatology doctor is a type of physician who specializes in arthritic diseases that affect muscles, bones and joints. Rheumatology is considered a subset of internal medicine. Conditions that rheumatologists treat include rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, gout, lupus, tendinitis and fibromyalgia.

Upper GI surgeons manage the surgery of diseases which involve the upper half of the digestive system. This includes organs such as the gall bladder, liver, stomach, oesophagus and small intestines. Common problems that they deal with are gallstones, pancreatitus, reflux and stomach ulcers and also surgery for obesity.

Urologists focus on the urinary tracts of males and females, and on the reproductive system of males. They are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with urological disorders. The organs covered by urology include the kidneys, adrenal glands, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra and the male reproductive organs.

A vascular surgeon specializes in the treatment of disorders of the vascular and lymphatic systems. The vascular system consists of all the body's arteries and veins, while the lymphatic system transports vital blood components from the veins and arteries to the cells. A vascular surgeon performs nearly all venal or arterial surgery, with the exception of procedures done to vessels within the brain and heart — these are typically performed by a neurosurgeon or cardiothoracic surgeon.

Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) consultants are specialists skilled in the delivery of Musculoskeletal and Physical activity medicine and Team Care. The specialty has a large scale application in managing and improving the health of the general public through exercise advice and prescription

Obesity surgery, otherwise known as bariatric or weight-loss surgery, describes a range of procedures that are designed to treat people with obesity. Whilst there are different types of gastric surgery, the aim of the procedure is always to reduce the size of the stomach.