Welcome to Yourbreast.co.uk, your specialist breast clinic in the Cheltenham Nuffield Hospital. If you have a worrying Breast problem such as a lump, or are seeking advice about Breast Implants, Breast Reduction, Breast Uplift, or the new BREFORM 'Internal Bra', come and see one of our Consultant Breast Surgeons. Our aim is to look after all your breast concerns.

We spend the majority of our working week caring for women and men with breast complaints.We offer diagnosis, advice and treatment for benign breast conditions and breast cancer. We provide breast reconstruction surgery for women who have had mastectomy or lumpectomies. We also offer a full range of cosmetic breast surgery options including breast implants (augmentation), breast reduction, breast uplift (mastopexy), BREFORM and treatment for male breast enlargement (gynaecomastia).

Our three surgeons are members of the Association of Breast Surgeons and help write UK guidelines for treating people with breast diseases and cancer. We have also appeared on Channel 4's health awareness programmes 'Embarrassing Illnesses' & 'Embarrassing Bodies' and have contributed to articles in the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph, Daily Mail as well as local newspapers and radio.

NEWS 10th January 2012

10th January 2012 Letter received today from Breast Implant Reconstruction Patient

'As one of your breast implant patients I would like to thank you and the other County surgeons for your swift response to the PIP crisis (Gloucestershire Echo - 22nd December 2011). It was so reassuring to be informed quickly that no women treated on the NHS or at the Cheltenham Nuffield Hospital had had PIP implants for either cosmetic or reconstructive surgery. The early clarification of the situation in Gloucestershire meant that the worry was removed immediately for many women, such as myself.

When a situation like this arises and everything is thrown into doubt, it is reassuring to know that the expertise and care that we all witnessed first hand still carries on tirelessly in the background on our behalf.'

10th January 2012 News Article on PIP implants in Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire Echo 10th January 2012

5th January 2012 How to check that your PIP implants are intact

Whilst we have never used PIP implants, we understand that there is a lot of confusion about the best way to check these and other implants. The 'gold standard' test is a MRI scan of the breast. This is the most accurate way to detect implant rupture and is significantly more accurate than ultrasound. This is our preferred technique when we investigate women with concerns, whether they have PIP or other brands of implants.

We are extremely fortunate in having one of the best Breast MRI units in the country in Cheltenham. The Breast MRI unit, at the Cheltenham Imaging Centre, is run by the Cobalt Appeal Fund, a leading local charity committed to providing high quality imaging. This medical charity was established in 1964 and all proceeds are reinvested into state of the art imaging equipment (such as open MRI and CT/PET scanners) and supporting local cancer research.

The unit has NHS contracts with Gloucestershire. Worcestershire and Avon PCTs and also receives private referrals from all over the UK (including London) and abroad. It is also recognised by all major insurers. The Breast MRI radiology service is led by Professor Iain Lyburn, who also directs the NHS Gloucestershire Breast Screening Service.

If a woman is keen to have her implants checked with a MRI scan, this can be easily arranged. A MRI request will need to be completed by your GP or surgeon. The current cost for a Breast MRI to check implants is £218. To arrange a MRI scan, please phone 0800 138 7201 at the Cobalt Appeal Fund

4th January 2102 Update on Defective French PIP Implants

We would like to confirm again that none of our surgeons have ever used PIP implants at the Cheltenham Nuffield or at Cheltenham General Hospital (or indeed anywhere else). Although approximately 160 women received PIP implants in hospitals belonging to the Nuffield Health Group, we would like to reiterate that these implants have never been used in Cheltenham.

Charlie Chan has been interviewed again on BBC Radio Gloucestershire today about this very serious issue. To hear his comments,please listen to the Breakfast show broadcast on BBC iPlayer starting at 1.21.50

BBC Radio Gloucestershire interview - morning news 4th January 2012

We appreciate that there are many women in Gloucestershire, who may have had surgery performed elsewhere with PIP implants. Our advice would be to contact their surgeon and/or clinic for further information. We would hope that your original surgeon and/or clinic should view your concerns sympathetically and offer you every assistance with this. However, if women with PIP implants would like instead to see one of our surgeons to arrange a consultation and ultrasound/MRI scan, then we would be very happy to see you to check the current state of your implants. However, we would urge you to check with your original clinic that they will reimburse the cost of your scans etc. We appreciate how vulnerable people may feel in the current circumstances and we would not wish to cause any further upset.

Defective French PIP Breast Implants

We would like to reassure all our patients as we have NEVER used breast implants made by the now defunct French company, Poly Implant Prosthese PIP. None of our surgeons have ever used these implants in our NHS or Private patients. Women treated at the Cheltenham Nuffield and Cheltenham General Hospitals have only had implants from one of the three major implant manufacturers ie Mentor, Nagor and Allergan (formerly known as McGhan). These three companies have long track records, each over 25 years, with a history of technological innovation, high quality safety testing and robust back up.

Although none of the women that we have operated on in Gloucestershire have had PIP implants, some women in the County may have had PIP implants inserted by surgeons working for one of the major High Street name cosmetic providers at hospitals outside Gloucestershire. If they have concerns, then they should contact the clinic where they were treated.

Oncotype DX Genetic testing for breast cancer patients

We are now able to offer patients with breast cancer a new genetic test, which gives an accurate assessment of the risk of cancer recurrence for each individual woman. It also helps predict the likely benefit of chemotherapy for individual patients, to help inform patient choice. Reimbursement for this test is covered by most, but not all major health insurers.

BREFORM 'Internal Bra'

All 3 of our surgeons, Fiona Court, Charlie Chan & James Bristol are now able to offer the new BREFORM  'INTERNAL BRA' breast uplift or breast reduction. Up to 60% of women having the new BREFORM operation no longer need to wear a bra, as the BREFORM technique provides internal support within the breast to stop the breast sagging over time. Fiona Court has recently been interviewed by the media about BREFORM and her comments can be seen in the Daily Mail, Gloucestershire Echo, Cotswold Style and Fox News in the USA.

Embarrassing Bodies - Channel 4 TV

Fiona Court has recently appeared on Channel 4's Embarrassing Bodies with Dr Dawn Harper. She discusses the tests performed in a normal breast clinic consultation including mammography.