
I do not often write reviews, only usually to complain ! But I must make an exception for the kind and brilliantly talented Doctor Arif Aslam and his team. I have a recent history of skin lesions/ basal cell and squamous over various parts of my 64 year old female body. I discovered a lump on my nose, an NHS test revealed I had a basal cell carcinoma on the tip. An initial attempt to remove it was unsuccessful, I was told by my NHS registrar that the pathology revealed uncertainty around the edges and an intermingling with the nerves in my nose( my description as I understood it, not theirs!). Surgery was required, I was put on a waiting list…..
Anxious about the whole prospect of waiting I was recommended by a number of close friends to contact Doctor Aslam. I am so pleased I did. Within 48 hours I had seen him at Spire, he had confirmed a diagnosis of a number of patches of worrying lesions on my hand, he treated those immediately, there and then! I had been between GP and hospital for months trying to sort this out, yet in a couple of seconds it was dealt with. My nose though was as it transpired, a lot more complicated. I was booked for a surgery by Dr Aslam at the fabulous Leeds clinic , only a couple of weeks to wait. I had the offending lump removed under Mohs procedure. I had never come across this before but Doctor Aslam explained everything to me clearly and was happy to answer any questions. I remember him sitting me down before the op and drawing a pen mark in a circle around the circumference of the tumour, he gave me a mirror and explained he believed these were the edges to cut around. Considering that it was on the tip of my nose, and the circumference was about 1.5 cm, I confess I inwardly gulped. But he said to trust his judgment and I had absolute faith in him. The Doctor doesn’t brag, no swagger, no big shot. Just calm, amusing where appropriate and gets on with the job. The hole created by removing the tumour was plugged with a living transplant from my cheek( again, my description!). Dr Aslam’s manner was such that I had absolute faith in the whole op, his team of ‘Angels ‘ who assisted were clearly trained to a high degree, yet still very compassionate and good humoured. I returned to Leeds for dressing changes and then for my final op again with local anaesthetic. This was 3 weeks or so after the original operation when the ‘ pedicle’ was going to be finally cut and my nose ‘ shaped’. Each op took around an hour or so, at all stages I was treated with respect, kindness and good humoured. I followed Doctor Aslam’s instructions faithfully about resting, he accommodated a dressing changes and then at Blackpool to make it easier for me in spite of his busy schedule. I was able to text him direct if I had any worries, he rang to make sure I was ok after the op. I was able to remove my own dressing 2 days after the separation and shaping. I was absolutely amazed at the neatness of my new nose! I texted the Doctor immediately to tell him I had successfully opened my phone using facial recognition! ( I had been unable to do that since the original operation due to the dressings that were in place to protect my pedicle). Yes, there were stitches running down from edge of nose to chin, but so neat, my nose was better than before( previously scarred by the original attempt to remove the tumour by another doctor). It is now almost 2 months since my first surgery by Doctor Aslam. I am on the mend nicely, back doing all the things I did before. A little more makeup over my stitches scar but this improves all the time. I will be back to see him in around 10 months for final check and discharge but am retaining him for interim checks generally. If it weren’t for Doctor Aslam, I would not have gone down the MOHs route. I was offered an inferior alternative by previous medics that would clearly not have been appropriate in my particular circumstances . Thank you Doctor Aslam and your team. My ordeal is over quickly, successfully and with no big drama. You are a kind , humble and talented consultant. You did what you said you would do all through this process. Rare indeed!