Share review of Mr Ivan Tomasi

Mr Ivan Tomasi 2020-05-19 Person 5 5 0

I first met Mr Tomasi on the 30th of June 2016 when I was rushed into Guy's and St Thomas' hospital with excruciating abdominal pain, nausea and unable to feel my legs. The ambulance dropped me off at the A&E and the surgeon that was looking at me that day and still does is Mr Tomasi. He was very calm and reassuring and explained that I was very sick with a rare condition called cecal volvulus and also had sepsis. He explained that I would need surgery. He also separately explained to my family the seriousness of my condition. I am not exaggerating when I say that this man saved my life. I underwent emergency surgery that day to remove part of my large bowel. When I woke up in the intensive care Mr Tomasi was often there and was key in ensuring that I maintain positive throughout this difficult time. After I was transferred to the HDU and then the ward he was again instrumental in ensuring I had a swift recovery and provided a truly holistic care not spanning only his surgical expertise but he also aways emphasised the importance of diet and exercise during recovery. This was especially important given that after the surgery I had an ileostomy (and a stoma bag) that required special attention with regards to nutrition. When I completely recovered from the first surgery I had the ileostomy reversed on the 24th of October 2016 and this was again under the care of Mr Tomasi. The surgery was again a success and compared to other patients described in research and review articles I again recovered very quickly in comparison. I have no doubt that this is due to Mr Tomasi's skills and expertise as well as holistic approach to care. The final surgery I had with Mr Tomasi was on the 15th of January 2019 and this was a complete abdominal reconstruction with insertion of a mesh to support and "future-proof" the abdomen and this again was a success. Mr Tomasi is a true professional. He is very analytical and methodical in his approach and leaves no stones unturned. I would not hesitate to recommend his care and myself would not ever want to change to another consultant. I have also observed that he works very well with other healthcare professionals and is very respected across different teams too. As an example, when the Pain team visited me and asked who is my consultant and I said Mr Tomasi they would say "Well he is the best!". During the "Clinics" where I attend the appointments to discuss progress after the surgery Mr Tomasi is usually accompanied by a student and I couldn't help but notice what a lovely approach he has to mentoring and teaching junior colleagues. All in all, I am forever grateful to Mr Tomasi for saving my life and being such a diligent and caring professional. His caring and comprehensive approach have made the whole recovery much quicker and easier. He always listened to my concerns and answered any questions I had. I would a 100% recommend Mr Tomasi as I completely trust him.