"I was in the un-enviable position, not so
very long ago, of being handcuffed to a
metaphorical railway-line. The
train heading towards me was not an
Express, but a goods train- trundling towards an
inevitable conclusion.
I am a Doctor
having worked in clinical medicine for over 20
years- it is fair to say I have had to deal with
a number of serious and life-threatening
conditions of my patients. It is however, quite
different when the patient is
yourself.
Due to a chance finding,
of what I thought (likely to be) insignificant
physical signs, I found myself having an MRI at
the BMI Priory Hospital in Birmingham. It came as
a great surprise to me that I was diagnosed with
a rare, large, and growing tumour called a
'glomus' tumour- more specifically the rarer
'glomus vagale'. I had heard of this tumour
during my medical school studies, but I had never
seen a patient with it, or had any idea with
regards to its significance.
I then
immersed myself in the medical literature to find
out more about this unusual condition. I
discovered that it was extremely rare, very slow
growing tumour, that starts in the tissues in the
neck, and continues to grow upwards, and if left
un-checked for many years, can eventually enter
the skull cavity, and compress the brain, with
potentially fatal consequences if not
treated.
Due to its size (about that of a
lemon) surgery was considered to be the only
option.
From my experience in the
medical profession, I know, and continue to advise
my patients, that if surgery is required for any
condition, it is of utmost importance to select
the best possible surgeon for the job. As my
condition was so rare, only a fairly small
handful of surgeons (on a global basis) were
sufficiently skilled in treating this sort of
'skull base' tumour.
I made extensive and
detailed research of the medical literature and
consulted with surgeons in the US, Switzerland, a
professor in London and a second professor in
Cambridge. I also consulted with Mr Richard
Irving at the BMI Priory hospital in Birmingham
(UK). I was surprised at the difference, both in
attitude, consultation style and suggested
surgical method.
I was in
the privileged position of also being
able to speak to other medical professionals, who
had actually seen the surgeons operate, and was
able to gain significant reassurance prior to
making my choice.
I chose to put my trust
in Richard Irving- and it was very well placed. I
cannot recommend him highly enough. He is
extremely patient, with a kind and sympathetic
manner, and he is a superb communicator. His
technical knowledge in the field of skull base
surgery is of the highest order, and he is one of
the global authorities in the surgical treatment
of glomus tumours, and other skull base
disorders.
I had surgery under Mr Irving a
9 hour procedure, which successfully removed the
tumour, that was 90% wrapped around my carotid
artery, and had entered into the meninges (the
lining of the brain). I was walking within 24
hours of surgery- which would have been unheard
of with less modern surgical techniques. During
the post-operative period, I received superb
attention from Mr Irving and continue to be under
his follow-up. Had I not elected for surgery, I am
sure I would not be here now I owe my life to
Richard Irving."
JK,
patient
"During a very traumatic period in my
life, I was referred to Mr Irving with an acoustic
neuroma. I was advised to see him because of his
statistical skills and in-depth knowledge and
experience of brain tumours of this type. I
have been very pleased with his sound advice and
"bedside manner" and also his support team,
especially Sue Wilcox, who has been there at every
step of the way to help with and co-ordinate
procedures. I have also found that being a
private patient offers peace of mind and is not
expensive."
Mari,
mother of teenage patient from
Wolverhampton
"When my fifteen year old son was
diagnosed with a cholesteatoma, it was a very
anxious time for us all; but from the moment I
contacted Mr Irving and team, I immediately felt
reassured and knew that we were in excellent
hands.
All queries were answered and promptly
dealt with by Sue Wilcox, who is always a
friendly voice at the end of the phone.
Mr Irving took the time to explain the
surgery to my son and his caring approach
immediately put him at ease.
Rhys' surgery went well and post operative
care and advice was excellent.
Our heartfelt thanks go to an efficient
and professional team who maintained a caring and
helpful approach throughout."
Kelly,
mother of 2 children treated by Richard
Irving
"Mr Irving has operated on both of my
children, he is brilliant, he put them at ease
and explained to them exactly what was going to
happen, they were not frightened at all.
The procedures they had went smoothly and
have really made a difference to the quality of
their lives. I would recommend him to
anyone."
Jonathan,
patient from Kenilworth
"I was referred to Mr Irving after being
diagnosed with a small benign tumour on my hearing
nerve back in February 2009. This was a
particularly anxious time for me as this was a
relatively rare condition and treatment options
didn't seem necessarily certain. My GP could
offer little advice or support as these types of
tumour are not encountered very often in local
surgeries.
I was therefore very re
assured to discover that Mr Irving specialised in
dealing with this type of tumour and had dealt
with hundreds of patients with a similar
condition. From the moment I contacted his team I
found them friendly, caring and highly
professional. They understood how I felt and
responded quickly and efficiently. At my first
consultation with Mr Irving everything was
explained to me and all my questions answered. I
felt so re assured that I was in the hands of
experts. Over the last couple of years I have
received a similar level of service every time I
have had an appointment or consultation.
In October 2010 Mr Irving referred me to
Sheffield to receive state of the art gamma knife
radiotherapy treatment. Although Mr Irving is a
highly regarded ear nose and throat surgeon he is
also more than aware and willing to consider all
the treatment options that are now available.
I am very hopeful that the treatment has
been successful and I remain reassured that I
will continue to be monitored closely by Mr
Irving and his team over the next couple of years.
From the anxiety of that initial diagnosis I now
feel calmer and a lot more positive about my
future
health."
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