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This page was last updated at 1:08PM on October 5, 2012

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Private Service

Dr Andrew Hill - General/Colorectal Surgeon

Description

What is General Surgery?
The role of the General Surgeon varies, but in broad terms general surgery can be said to deal with a wide range of conditions within the abdomen, breast, neck, skin and, in some cases, vascular (blood vessel) system.
 
While the name would suggest that the focus of general surgery is to perform operations, often this is not the case. Many patients are referred to surgeons with conditions that do not need surgical procedures, but merely require counselling or medical treatment.
 
What is Colorectal Surgery?
The colon and the rectum are part of the digestive tract that processes the food we eat. Together they make up the large intestine or large bowel and are located in the abdomen between the small intestine and the anus. The colon is about 1.8m long and absorbs water and nutrients from food. The rectum is the last segment of the large intestine and is about 20 -25cm long. This is where waste material is stored before it passes out of the body through the anus.
A colorectal surgeon is a general surgeon who has had further training and specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the colon, rectum, and anus.

Referral Expectations

When you come to your appointment, your surgeon will ask questions about your illness and examine you to try to determine or confirm the diagnosis. This process may also require a number of tests (e.g. blood tests, x-rays, scans etc). Sometimes this can all be done during one visit, but for some conditions this will take several follow-up appointments. Occasionally some tests are arranged even before your appointment to try to speed up the process.

Once a diagnosis has been made, your surgeon will discuss treatment with you. In some instances this will mean surgery, while other cases can be managed with medication and advice. If surgery is advised, the steps involved in the surgical process and the likely outcome are usually discussed with you at this time.

As Dr Hill will discuss with you, if your treatment requires surgery he usually works with the following Anaesthetist.

Procedures / Treatments

  • Skin Disorders

    Skin conditions dealt with by general surgery include lumps, tumours and other lesions of the skin and underlying tissues.… More

  • Gallstones

    General surgery covers some disorders of the liver and biliary system.… More

  • Hernias

    A hernia exists where part of the abdominal wall is weakened, and the contents of the abdomen push through to the outside.… More

  • Gastroscopy

    Gastroscopy allows examination of the upper part of your digestive tract i.e.… More

  • Colonoscopy

    Colonoscopy is the examination of your colon (large bowel) using a colonoscope (long, flexible tube with a camera on the end).… More

  • Haemorrhoids

    Haemorrhoids are a condition where the veins under the lining of the anus are congested and enlarged.… More

  • Colorectal Cancer

    This is cancer that begins in your colon or rectum.… More

Consultants

Mr Andrew Hill
Associate Professor of Surgery, General and Colorectal Surgeon

Locations Information

Choose one of the locations above for address and contact information.