Mr Edward Caruana

Mr Caruana is a Consultant Thoracic Surgeon offering private consultations by video or telephone, or in person at The Park Hospital (Nottingham) and Glenfield Hospital (Leicester), alongside a busy NHS practice at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

He qualified in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Malta, undertook specialist cardiothoracic surgical training across Cambridge, Nottingham and Leicester in the UK, and completed a fellowship in advanced single-incision keyhole thoracic surgery at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital in China - internationally recognised for technical expertise in minimally invasive thoracic surgery and often regarded as a global benchmark in the field.

Mr Caruana holds specialist interest in pneumothorax (collapsed lung), breathlessness related to a raised or weak diaphragm (diaphragm elevation/paralysis), lung nodules that are small or where there is uncertainty about cancer, known lung cancer or cancer that has spread to the lung from elsewhere (metastatic disease), and chest pain related to injury or surgery.

Patient-centred care runs throughout Mr Caruana’s practice. Consultations are structured to support clear decisions and a plan that fits the patient’s goals, with information reviewed carefully and options explained in plain English. Where appropriate, Mr Caruana aims to use the least invasive approach that remains safe and effective, with a focus on the best possible outcomes, comfort, and recovery. Care can be coordinated with the wider multidisciplinary team (MDT), so that the right specialists are involved at the right time.

Mr Caruana sees patients for assessment and treatment of a broad range of chest (thoracic) surgical conditions, from common problems to complex cases, including:

• small lung nodules found on scans, where the cause is uncertain or there is concern about lung cancer (lung nodules), including diagnosis or guided surgery using ION robotic bronchoscopy where appropriate
• lung cancer and other lung tumours
• cancer that has spread to the lungs from elsewhere (lung metastases)
• tumours in the area between the lungs (mediastinal masses, including thymoma and retrosternal goitre)
• fluid around the lungs or around the heart (pleural effusion or pericardial effusion)
• chest wall lumps, including tumours
• narrowing or blockage of the breathing tubes, due to cancer or non-cancer causes (airway obstruction)
• collapsed lung (pneumothorax)
• breathlessness due to emphysema, including lung volume reduction
• positional or movement disorders of the diaphragm (diaphragm elevation, diaphragm paralysis, diaphragm eventration), including diaphragm plication
• a hole or weakness in the diaphragm (diaphragm hernia)
• endometriosis of the chest (thoracic endometriosis, catamenial pneumothorax)
• chest wall injury, including broken ribs (rib fractures)
• chest pain after surgery or injury, including when it becomes persistent
• chest infections requiring surgery (empyema)
• excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)

Second opinions are available for patients who would value reassurance or want to explore their options further.

Mr Caruana is active in research leadership and delivery, including involvement in national clinical trials. He has published over 60 peer‑reviewed articles, as well as book chapters and international clinical guidelines. He chairs the Diaphragm Working Group of the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Great Britain & Ireland (SCTS) and the Pleural Disease Working Group of the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS), and is a committee member of the UK Pleural Society. Mr Caruana holds an Honorary Lectureship at the University of Leicester and is Undergraduate Lead for Thoracic Surgery, where he set up a dedicated programme for medical students.