Call us at +65 6471 1221

or Send us an enquiry below:

Why ChooseDr Tay Khoon Hean Surgery?

  • Latest Technique on Pancreatic Resectional Surgery
  • Respected Hepatobiliary Surgeon
  • More Than 25 Years’ Experience
  • Quality & Professional Surgical Care
  • Multidisciplinary Specialist Team
  • Most Insurances Accepted

    • Services Provided

    Pancreatic Conditions Treated In Our Clinic

    • Pancreatitis

      Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. The condition is caused by the digestive enzymes of the pancreas being “activated” inside the pancreas instead of the duodenum, causing destruction of the pancreatic tissues.

      It usually presents with pain in the upper abdomen and can also cause nausea and vomiting. The abdominal region feels tender, and the patient appears sickly.

      Diagnosis is conducted by detecting the increased pancreas enzyme levels in the blood, and an ultrasound or CT scan of the abdomen will often show an enlarged pancreas. Treatment is by giving the pancreas some rest through bowel rest, hospitalisation, intravenous feeding, and pain medications.

    • Chronic Pancreatitis

      Chronic pancreatitis is characterised by persistent abdominal pain. However, there may or may not be elevated levels of pancreatic enzymes in the blood. The disease progresses slowly, resulting in slow destruction of the pancreas, and leading to other problems like bacterial infections and Type 2 diabetes.

      The main causes of chronic pancreatitis are gall bladder disease and alcoholism. If the cause of chronic pancreatitis is blocked gall bladder, then removal of gallstones will be conducted.

    • Pancreatic Cancer

      Cancer of the pancreas is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the US. It has been called a “silent” disease because early pancreatic cancer usually does not cause symptoms. If the tumour blocks the common bile duct and bile cannot pass into the digestive system, the skin and whites of the eyes may become yellow, indicative of jaundice. As the cancer grows and spreads, pain often develops in the upper abdomen and sometimes spreads to the back. The pain may become worse after the person eats or lies down. Cancer of the pancreas can also cause nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, and weakness.

      To diagnose pancreatic cancer, the doctor does a complete physical examination and asks about the patient’s personal and family medical history. Other tests may be ordered, such as CT scans, x-rays that give detailed pictures of a cross-section of the pancreas. A biopsy is the only sure way for the doctor to know whether cancer is present.

      Pancreatic cancer is a serious malignancy. It is curable only when it is found in its earliest stages, before it has spread. However, it can be treated, symptoms can be relieved, and the quality of the patient’s life can be improved. Pancreatic cancer is treated with surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.

    AboutDr Tay Khoon Hean

    Dr Tay Khoon Hean is Singapore’s renowned hepatobiliary surgeon with expertise in pancreatic surgery and advanced laparoscopic surgery.

    Dr Tay’s areas of expertise are in hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) and advanced laparoscopic (minimally invasive surgery) surgery with particular emphasis on difficult gallbladder and bile duct operations, laparoscopic Nissen’s fund oplication, lap banding for obesity, major hepatic resections utilizing the French techniques and the latest techniques in pancreas resectional operations, the pylorus preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (PPPD) for cancers of the head of pancreas.

    Dr Tay did his undergraduate medical education at the National University of Singapore graduating with MBBS in 1988. He subsequently obtained his surgical fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow in 1995. He completed his Advanced Surgical Training in General Surgery in April 1998.

    His subspecialty training was done under the tutelage of two world renowned surgeons. He was awarded a Traveling Fellowship Scholarship from the Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow to understudy Prof Alfred Cushieri in Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Scotland for advance laparoscopic surgery and Pontchaillou Hospital, University de Rennes, Brittany, France for Hepatobiliary Surgery.

    What To Expect On Your Initial Visit For Pancreatic Surgery Consultation

    A pancreatic disease can be serious if not detected and treated early. As such the initial consultation with the surgeon is important for your doctor to ascertain both your personal and family’s health history. Make the most of your appointment by coming in prepared and answering the questions thoroughly. It is important if you know the medications that you are taking or if there are symptoms that you are experiencing, which may include persistent abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, etc. If you had done recent CT scan, MRI, you may bring a copy of the imaging report as it will be helpful to your surgeon.

    Meeting with the Surgeon

    Your visit with the surgeon should be a comfortable one and normally starts like your visit to a family physician. Effective doctor-patient communication is important to provide quality care and a good surgeon will take time to listen to the patient.

    FAQ

    • What are Pancreatic Cysts?

      Pancreatic cysts are sac-like pockets of fluid on or within your pancreas. The pancreas is an organ located behind the stomach, which produces enzymes to help digest food, as well as hormones like insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin.

      Some pancreatic cysts are true cysts (non-inflammatory cysts), that is, they are lined by a special layer of cells that are responsible for secreting fluid into the cysts. Other cysts are pseudocysts (inflammatory cysts) and do not contain specialized lining cells. Often these pseudocysts contain pancreatic digestive juices because they are connected to the pancreatic ducts.

    • Signs & symptoms of Pancreatic Cysts?

      When signs or symptoms of pancreatic cysts do occur, they typically include:

      • Persistent abdominal pain, which may radiate to your back.
      • A mass you can feel in your upper abdomen.
      • Nausea and vomiting
    • Detection & treatment

      Because the majority of pancreatic cysts are small and produce no symptoms, they are often discovered incidentally during other scans of the abdomen. If you have a pancreatic cyst, treatment will depend on the type of cyst, its symptoms and whether it is benign or malignant. While a cyst that does not exhibit symptoms can be left alone and monitored for any changes in size, one that does or grows larger should be drained. This can be done by various means, from endoscopic drainage to laparoscopic or open surgery, depending on the type and location of the cyst. Treatment is important to deal with precancerous or cancerous cysts, to prevent cancer from developing or spreading. In these cases, the patient will be carefully evaluated for suitability for surgery.

    • What are your charges

      Our charges for first consultation starts from $200 and our clinic accepts most insurances. In addition, our staff will provide financial counselling for any procedure to be performed.

    • Can I walk in for an appointment or service?

      You are strongly advised to request an appointment with our staff by calling or emailing us to ensure that a time slot is allocated for our surgeon to meet you.

    Call us at +65 6471 1221

    or Send us an enquiry below:

    See You At Tay Khoon Hean Surgery

    Tay Khoon Hean Surgery
    Gleneagles Medical Centre 6 Napier Road,
    #08-02 Singapore 258499

    Tel : (65) 6471 1221
    Email : tkhsurgery@yahoo.com.sg

    Map & Directions

    We are conveniently located at Gleneagles Medical Centre 6 Napier Road, #08-02 Singapore 258499. Location is close to the heart of the local shopping district. If you require further directions to our office, please feel free to call us at 6471 1221.

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