Sam's story

When Sam* was younger, he suffered from epigastric pain – pain or discomfort felt in the middle of the upper abdomen, just below the ribcage. He underwent an ultrasound, which revealed four polyps in his gallbladder.

Sam was recommended to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder, to minimise the potential cancerous transformation of these polyps.

Since then, and for the past 10 years, Sam’s been under the watchful eye of his treating team. He’s had an annual ultrasound to assess the number and growth of gallbladder polyps. Ten years ago, Sam had one polyp, but these developed into four polyps measuring under 1cm.  

Sam was advised that once polyps grow to one centimetre, the risk of cancer is significantly increases. He was recommended to undergo a cholecystectomy procedure.  

He got in touch with the Expert Medical Opinion service, available through Vivo, as he wanted a second opinion so he could be sure that it was safe to continue with surveillance versus the surgery.

An expert reviewed Sam’s medical history and imaging, agreeing with the existing recommendation for a cholecystectomy as a definitive means of cancer prevention.

“I would highly recommend using this service to anyone who wants a second opinion.”

Sam

Sam’s case was fast-tracked due to an imminent surgery date, and it was reviewed by a gastroenterologist.  

This answered Sam’s questions about recovery from the procedure and spoke with him about some lifestyle changes to expect following the surgery.

Sam followed the advice and underwent a cholecystectomy. He’s made a full recovery and is feeling perfectly healthy. Sam says he received exceptional service from the Expert Medical Opinion service and is grateful for the advice provided.

“The team worked tirelessly and did everything they could in such a short amount of time to turn my fears around,” says Sam.

“The expert also confirmed the surgery I was advised was the right thing to do. I would highly recommend using this service to anyone who wants a second opinion.”

*Names have been changed to protect privacy.

The feedback and testimonials provided by customers concern services that are now within the Vivo brand of services.

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