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This head and neck surgeon’s job is akin to sculptural work as he has to remove diseased bits from the oral cavity while retaining a patient’s looks. POON CHIAN HUI reports
 I decided to specialise in head and neck surgery because...
When I started training in general surgery in 1993, I did not know much about the head and neck regions as most general surgeons deal with the torso. But they seemed very interesting and challenging and the operations were fascinating.
So, I decided to venture into this field as a sub-speciality.
The oral cavity is fascinating because...
It has many facets – not only does it contribute to how we look from the outside, but it also embodies many functions. For example, the mandible, or jaw, is crucial for chewing and swallowing, as well as talking.
Operating on oral cavity cancers can therefore be challenging as such functions have to be retained while avoiding any major facial disfiguration.
If I were to give an analogy for what I do, I’d be a...
Sculptor. My work involves a lot of attention to detail and hands-on work.
I have to remove the unwanted parts from within while making sure that the outward appearance of the patient is preserved. It is like how a sculptor will fix a worn-down or faulty sculpture without altering its original look.
I have come across all types of cases...
The most common cases that I see often involve the thyroid gland, such as thyroid cancers.
An unusual case that I encountered was that of a woman in her 60s who suffered from wheezing. Her general practitioner diagnosed it as asthma about two years ago.
The problem turned out to be a thyroid growth in her chest that was compressing her windpipe. In fact, the growth was so large that the windpipe was reduced to only a few millimetres in diameter, which was the reason for her constant wheezing.
A typical day for me would be...
I wake up at 6am to take my youngest son, who is four years old, to the childcare centre at the hospital. My wife, an advertising account service executive, takes our two older children – a son and daughter aged 12 and eight – to school.
Work starts at 7.30am with a meeting followed by a ward round. I usually have a main duty for the day – either surgery, patient consultations or scope examinations.
At 6pm, I do another ward round before calling it a day.
Three times a week, I jog or hit the gym. After that, I pick the children up and we head home for dinner with my wife.
After the children go to bed, I relax by playing Facebook games like Castle Age and reading. I have a habit of reading nightly.
I love patients who are...
Understanding. There may not always be sufficient time for patient consultation.
Some treatment procedures may require an hour of my time to go through with the patient. As a result, I may be delayed in seeing the rest of the patients in the queue. Luckily, most people understand this and are nice about it.
Patients who get my goat are...
I do get irritated and annoyed sometimes, but I cannot remember any case that stands out.
One little known fact about thyroid disease is...
It is not a single disease. Many people think that thyroid disease is associated with weight loss. That is a symptom of hyperthyroidism, one of the many types of thyroid diseases. Most cases that I see are not like that.
Some may suffer from nodules or tumours in the thyroid. If the entire thyroid gland has to be removed, the hormone medication thyroxin will not cause cancer.
This is a common misconception about ingesting hormones.
Things that put a smile on my face are...
When the operations I perform on my patients progress smoothly without any major problems.
It breaks my heart when...
Patients encounter hiccups in their recovery process.
I wouldn’t trade places for the world because...
I’ve got a wonderful family and a great job.
Honestly, my job doesn’t feel like work.
My best tip...
See a doctor if you have a lump in the head and neck area that is persistent and that was not there before. Some people fear that such lumps may be cancer and stay away from the doctor in the hope that the lump will go away. It may not be cancer and seeing a doctor will instead set their mind at ease.
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