Mr Arun Shanmuganandan is a consultant colorectal surgeon in a busy surgical unit at Croydon University Hospital. He specialises in laparoscopic (key-hole) surgery for diseases of the bowel including cancer of the colon and rectum. He also treats patients with benign bowel disorders like diverticular disease and inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis. He is an advanced endoscopy practitioner, fully accredited by JAG (Joint Advisory Group on GI Endoscopy) for performing colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy and OGD (upper gastrointestinal endoscopy). He carries out endoscopic removal of large polyps of the bowel (EMR / ESD) and early cancers of the rectum (TEMS / TAMIS). He believes strongly in prevention and early diagnosis of bowel cancers and is a strong advocate of bowel cancer screening, which he is approved for.

His special interests also include treatment for benign anorectal conditions including haemorrhoids, anal fistula, anal abscesses and anal fissure. He offers various surgical options for treatment of haemorrhoids including rubber band ligation, THD, HALO, RAFAELO and traditional surgical haemorrhoidectomy.

He offers 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. In addition to surgical procedures, he provides 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. He works closely with other allied specialties like gastroenterologists, dietitians and nutritionists, and believes strongly in a multi-disciplinary approach to improve his patients’ general gut health.

He takes a keen interest in teaching and training junior surgical trainees and is an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at King’s College, London. He has multiple publications in international, peer-reviewed journals and is 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. He is a member of the Trauma Care delivery Group, Sepsis Taskforce and Research & Development Committee at Croydon University Hospital. He is also a member of the NICE FIT trial steering group.

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

He enjoys spending his weekends with his wife and son, and his favourite pursuit is hiking in the beautiful Surrey countryside. He follows cricket and the premier league and enjoys playing football and tennis with his son.