Mr Mike Williamson

I graduated from Cardiff Medical School in 1987 and continued my early surgical training in and around, Cardiff before moving to The General Infirmary at Leeds to undertake research for my MD thesis. I remained in West Yorkshire to complete my senior surgical training, including a specialist colorectal fellowship year in Sydney, Australia. I was appointed as consultant colorectal and general surgeon to the Royal United Hospital Bath in August 1999 and have only recently retired from that NHS post after over 25 years treating colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and other colorectal conditions, as well as maintaining a specialist interest in abdominal wall hernia surgery. I continue to treat both private and NHS patients in the smaller hospital organisations in the Bath region, including the BMI Bath Clinic, Sulis Bath Hospital and the Independent Hernia Group (Chippenham). I am highly experienced in all forms of groin hernia repair, including the totally extraperitoneal laparoscopic (keyhole) approach, as well as a standard open repair under both general and local anaesthetic according to the patient's wishes. By offering and being completely comfortable with all types of repair, I am able to offer my patients unbiased expert advice about the best repair to suit them and their medical fitness for anaesthetic and surgery. I am a very competent colonoscopist, including polyp removal, and have a weekly whole-day list plus additional lists, with 30 years of experience behind me. Although I have ceased my colorectal cancer practice, I continue to manage the common smaller colorectal conditions including haemorrhoids, anal fistula and fissures and pilonidal sinus. My aim is to explain your specific medical condition, it's investigation and it's treatment in a clear way that you can easily understand, including the risks of the surgical treatment compared to the benefits. I am very experienced, and through that experience feel confident in letting patients decide if surgery is the right option, especially if a more conservative approach is also appropriate or even better. I am often told by patients that after talking to me, they better understand, or more fully understand their condition and its management options, even if they have already discussed their case with other professionals. My secretaries, Helen, Katherine or Nicky, will be more than happy to speak to you and decide if I am the right surgeon for you to meet and discuss your problem.

Abdominal wall hernia surgery, including the totally extraperitoneal laparoscopic approach, which avoids the potential complications of inserting keyhole cameras into the abdominal cavity, whilst still approaching the hernia from behind the defect to reduce the chance of chronic pain through nerve injury and usually allows for an earlier return to full activities. Working for the Independent Hernia Group, results in exposure to frequent lists of open hernia repairs under local anaesthetic for those patients less able to tolerate a general anaesthetic or who simply want a more rapid repair than offered by larger NHS trusts. This wide exposure to both laparoscopic and open hernia repair gives me an unusual experience in both approaches, and allows me to approach the discussion about your repair in a completey unbiased fashion, when perhaps compared to surgeons who specialise in either the laparoscopic or the open approach. Colonoscopy has been and remains something that I find very rewarding, and I whilst I have excellent outcome parameters in excluding disease and removing polyps, I continue to strive to achieve this in the least uncomfortable manner for the patient. I have a wealth of experience in managing colorectal disorders after over 25 years as a consultant specialist colorectal surgeon, and offer varying techniques to manage haemorrhoidal disease in trying to achieve the balance between post-operative discomfort and successful management of your condition. I am confident in the management of anal fistulas and anal fissures. I am confident in the management of pilonidal sinus disease.