Mr Arun Shanmuganandan

I am a Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon in a busy surgical unit at Croydon University Hospital. I specialise in laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery for diseases of the bowel including cancer of the colon and rectum. I also treat patients with benign bowel disorders like diverticular disease and inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.

I provide treatment for the following: General surgery: appendicitis; bowel obstruction and perforation; skin lesions (lipoma and sebaceous cysts, other than the head and neck area). Colorectal surgery: colonoscopy; upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (OGD); endoscopic removal of polyps; transanal excision of early rectal cancers and large polyps (TEMS/TAMIS); bowel cancer screening; colon and rectal cancer; laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery for bowel cancer and inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s and colitis; diverticular disease; treatment for haemorrhoids (including HALO/THD/RAFAELO); anal fistula and fissure; abdominal pain; bowel incontinence; diarrhoea; constipation; digestive disorders; anal pain; rectal prolapse; rectal bleeding.

I am an advanced endoscopy practitioner, fully accredited by JAG (Joint Advisory Group on GI Endoscopy) for performing colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy and OGD (upper gastrointestinal endoscopy). I carry out endoscopic removal of large polyps of the bowel (EMR/ESD) and early cancers of the rectum (TEMS/TAMIS). I believe strongly in prevention and early diagnosis of bowel cancers and I am a strong advocate of bowel cancer screening, which I am approved for. 

My special interests also include treatment for benign anorectal conditions including haemorrhoids, anal fistula, anal abscesses and anal fissure. I offer various surgical options for treatment of haemorrhoids including rubber band ligation, THD, HALO, RAFAELO and traditional surgical haemorrhoidectomy. I offer BOTOX for anal fissures and various surgical options for anal fistulas including fistula plug, gel, LIFT procedure and VAAFT (Video Assisted Anal Fistula Treatment) procedure.

I qualified from a reputed medical university in the south Indian city of Chennai. Following basic surgical training in India, I moved to the United Kingdom to pursue higher surgical training. I underwent most of my specialist surgical training in general and laparoscopic colorectal surgery in south west London, which resulted in my entry to the General Medical Council’s specialist register.

In addition to surgical procedures, I provide wide-ranging, latest evidence based consultation on functional bowel disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), constipation, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, acid reflux, indigestion, bloating and coeliac disease. I work closely with other allied specialties like gastroenterologists, dietitians and nutritionists and believe strongly in a multi-disciplinary approach to improve my patients’ general gut health. 

I am an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at King’s College, London. I have multiple publications in international, peer-reviewed journals and am currently the Principal Investigator for a multi-centre, NIHR and NICE approved trial on the use of FIT test, which is a less invasive screening tool for bowel cancers. I am a member of the Trauma Care delivery Group, Sepsis Taskforce and Research & Development Committee at Croydon University Hospital. I am also a member of the NICE FIT trial steering group.

I am the Trust Lead for National PCCRC (Post Colonoscopy ColoRectal Cancer) audit, which examines post-colonoscopy cancer incidents and identifies means to reduce the risk of this occurring.