Surgery

The neurosurgery clinic treats tumours of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Quite a few patients book an appointment with an MRI or CT report in hand and the question of what this report actually means for them. That is an entirely valid reason for a consultation.

Other reasons for treatment include degenerative changes of the spine, among them a herniated intervertebral disc and narrowing of the spinal canal, as well as entrapment and injuries of peripheral nerves. The neurosurgeon reviews your existing records, carries out a clinical examination and weighs up the options with you, from observation and conservative treatment to surgery.

A second opinion is also a common reason for a visit. If surgery has already been suggested to you and you are not sure about it, you can talk it through again, calmly.

Treatment is self-pay and you do not need a referral. Please bring all existing records with you, especially reports and images from imaging tests. Without them, the conversation often ends too soon.

Thoracic surgery deals with diseases of the lungs, thyroid and oesophagus, and with gastric reflux. The field is broad: from a nodule found by chance on an X-ray to an enlarged thyroid that causes a feeling of pressure in the neck.

Long-term reflux is one of the more common reasons for a consultation. Most people manage their symptoms with medicines and an adjusted diet. When symptoms persist despite this or keep coming back for years, the thoracic surgeon assesses whether surgical treatment is an option and what such a procedure would mean for you.

When lung disease is suspected, treatment usually starts with the results you already have, for example an X-ray, a CT scan or a pulmonologist's opinion. The surgeon reviews them and, if needed, suggests further diagnostic tests.

In this field, ZZ Zdravje and Kirurgija Bitenc work together at Medicinski center Ljubljana, and treatment is self-pay. The examination and consultation take place here, at Vilharjev podhod 1; Kirurgija Bitenc performs lung and oesophageal operations on the premises of Klinika Golnik, that is, outside Ljubljana. You will receive details about preparing for the procedure, how it is carried out and recovery at the examination, once it is clear what condition is involved.

The bulk of the work in abdominal surgery is made up of hernias and diseases of the abdominal organs, such as inguinal, umbilical or incisional hernia, gallstones, inflammation of the gallbladder and problems after previous abdominal operations.

A hernia often shows as a lump or bulge in the abdominal wall that gets bigger when you strain, cough or lift, and settles at night. Not every hernia is a reason for immediate surgery, but it is a reason for an examination. The surgeon assesses its size and position, assesses the risk and explains the risk of delaying the procedure.

With gallstones the picture is different. Many people find out about them by chance during an abdominal ultrasound scan and have no problems from them at all. The typical clinical picture is recurring pain under the right rib cage, especially after fatty meals. The decision to operate depends on the clinical symptoms and on laboratory and other test results, and not on the finding itself.

Treatment is self-pay and you do not need a referral. Bring the results of any tests you have had, if you have them, and a list of the medicines you take regularly.

Minor surgical procedures under local anaesthetic are intended for changes that can be treated in the clinic: an epidermoid cyst, a lipoma, a skin growth, an ingrown toenail, a small cyst, an abscess.

Everything starts with an examination. The surgeon assesses the change, agrees with you on the extent of the procedure and tells you what to expect. The removed tissue is usually sent for histological examination, and you receive the result later. Sometimes the procedure is done at the first consultation, sometimes a new appointment is needed.

Local anaesthetic means that you are awake during the procedure and only the part of the body where the procedure is done is numb. You can go home the same day. You receive instructions on wound care and stitch removal when you leave, and you also find out what to look out for while it heals.

If you notice a skin change that is changing quickly, bleeding or not healing, also talk to a dermatologist before the procedure, as it makes sense to examine some changes with a dermatoscope first. The procedures are self-pay.

Diagnosis and treatment of varicose veins start with the question of where the problems come from. Heavy and swollen legs at the end of the day, visible enlarged veins, night cramps, itching above the ankle: all of these are reasons to have your veins looked at by a specialist.

The examination includes a conversation about your problems, a clinical examination of the legs and an ultrasound examination of the veins, which assesses how the venous valves are working and how the blood is flowing. On the basis of this examination, we decide on the type of treatment.

There are several options: compression treatment with elastic stockings, sclerotherapy, endovenous techniques and conventional surgery. Which is suitable for you depends on the extent of the changes, the condition of the deep veins and what bothers you most.

Sudden pain, swelling and redness of one leg are not a condition for booking an examination in the coming weeks, but a reason to see a doctor immediately. For everything else, treatment with us is self-pay.