Major advance in vascular surgery at St Peter's Hospital

Created: Friday, 05 August 2011 15:47

Last week the vascular team at St Peter's Hospital, led by consultant surgeon Mr Tahir Ali, performed the Trust's first keyhole aneurysm repair. This is emergency, life saving surgery, yet the patient was up and about within hours and able to leave hospital within only 48 hours.

Mr Ali explains more: "Mr Taylor was rushed to St Peter's Hospital with a life threatening, leaking abdominal aortic aneurysm. This type of aneurysm is when the artery supplying blood to the abdomen, pelvis, and legs becomes abnormally large and balloons outward. If it starts to leak or rupture, as in this case, then urgent surgery is needed to repair it. Using a specialist keyhole technique - the first time this has been done within the Trust - we were able to repair Mr Taylor's aneurysm with minimally invasive surgery.

Normally this type of repair is done using "open" surgery, which involves a large cut in the abdomen and a much longer recovery time. Using this keyhole technique, known as endovascular surgery, we make a small incision in the groin and then pass special guide wires through the artery to locate the aneurysm before inserting a stent graft to make the repair. This is all done using special X-ray images to guide the surgeon. The patient is left with just a small cut in their groin which is usually repaired using dissolvable stitches.

Because of the minimally invasive nature of this type of surgery, Mr Taylor was up and about the very next day and able to leave hospital within 48 hours of his surgery.

Mr Taylor, who is from Addlestone, couldn't thank the team enough: "It feels fantastic," he commented, "they have done a superb job."

" I am very grateful to Mr Ali for his care and the very thorough investigation and diagnosis of my ailment following which I managed to avoid an operation. I can say without hesitation that Mr Ali provided me with a first class service and I found him to be professional, friendly and reassuring, and I would very happily recommend him to anyone requiring a Consultant Surgeon."

James D

" Myself and my family have had many varicose vein operations and procedures under Mr Ali's care. We have all been extremely happy with the results. Mr Ali is an excellent consultant; he offers a first class, friendly, professional service and I would thoroughly recommend him."

Hayley F

After my doctor telling me that the NHS do not now treat varicose veins, I contacted Mr Ali for a private consultation, as my varicose veins were worsening.

I was very apprehensive, but found Mr Ali to be a very charming gentleman, who very quickly dispelled my fears and confirmed he could successfully carry out an ablation on the saphenous vein in my leg.

The procedure was carried out within a few weeks and at all times Mr Ali was pleasant and patient, keeping me fully informed of the treatment.

I would have no hesitation in recommending him to anyone needing such surgery.

B. Meyer

Mr Tahir Ali
Consultant General & Vascular Surgeon
January 2020

Dear Mr Ali

I would just like to take this moment to thank you for saving the quality of my husband's life

We were in position back Sept 2016 whereby my husband had a bypass on his left leg which went terribly wrong and was advised at that time amputation was the only way forward.

As you can imagine this was a lot to take on board so we decided to seek a second opinion, and we went with Mr Ali. He had a consultation and Mr Ali advised there was a possibility that a further bypass could be performed to save his leg, not guaranteed but we opted for this straight away

A Femora Popliteal Bypass was carried out which saved his leg and with follow up monitoring and consultations over the next two years he had a further bypass in October 2018 to enhance his walking which was a complete success He now has no pain at all upon walking .

We cannot thank Mr Ali enough for the quality of life he now enjoys.

With Kind Regards

Mrs S Reid