Training

Aneesh has done two Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery training programmes.
(1) Residency programme from Pune University, India and graduated with First rank in Master of Surgery.
(2) Advanced Registrar training programme from Liverpool, United Kingdom

After completion of the specialist training from the UK, went to Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada and did Advanced Fellowship in Head and Neck Onco-surgery, Microvascular and Facial Plastic Reconstructive Surgery under supervision of Dr. Mark Taylor.

Academic Qualifications:

1995. MBBS. Calicut University, Kerala, India
1999. Master of Surgery. Pune University, India
1999. Diplomate of the National board, New Delhi, India
2002. FRCS (Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians), Glasgow, UK
2002. FRCS (Royal College of Surgeon), Ireland, UK
2009. FRCS (ORL-HNS), Glasgow, UK
2012. CCT (Certificate of Completion of Training), UK
2013. Fellowship in Advanced Head and Neck Microvascular and Facial Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
2020. FRACS (Royal Australasian College of Surgeons), Melbourne, Australia
Current Study: Master of Health Service Management

Focus

Patient centred care
Effective communication
Professionalism
Ethics
Evidence based medicine
Quality of care

Experience

Aneesh gained tremendous experience from working in four healthcare systems in the world. This has given an understanding of the challenges faced by the patients and healthcare workers in the four countries/continents.

Working in India with immense workload and under severe constraints from financial, technological and human resource perspective was a great learning experience. The complexity of management of advanced head and neck cancer and severe complications from ear, nose and throat infections were learned early in his career. Successfully treating and helping patients and their families from very low socio-economic background were hugely satisfying.

United Kingdom gave a different perspective to patient care. Training was focused on the practice of Evidence Based Medicine on all aspects of Ear, Nose and Throat diseases. This helped to consolidate his clinical knowledge and surgical skills and taught him how to apply this to individual patient. Teaching also focused on confidentiality, professionalism, ethics, patients’ rights and clinical governance. Training also helped to improve management and leadership skills. University Hospital Aintree is one of the busiest Head and Neck cancer treatment centres in the UK. Aneesh had the great opportunity to work under the disciples of one of the pioneers of Head and Neck Surgery, Prof. Stell, and considers the opportunity to work with Prof. Terry Jones was the turning point in his career, who teased out the skills to become a Head and Neck surgeon. Mr. Jackson, Mr. Roland, Mr. Lancaster and Prof. Birchall helped to shape, develop and move his career forward.

Working in Canada helped to understand the challenges of a big nation. Patients had to travel several hours to see the specialist. He learned several methods of managing this complex problem. After learning resection of complex head and neck cancers from Liverpool, fellowship gave confidence in reconstruction of huge defects. Here Aneesh learned micro vascular and facial plastic reconstruction. An interest in cosmetic reanimation for facial palsy started at this point.
After completion of training, he worked as an ENT consultant at Lincoln County Hospital, UK. Had amazing experience working with great colleagues and patients and their families in a small town.

Aneesh started his work in New Zealand in 2013. He started and developed the head and neck cancer surgery department at Palmerston North Hospital. He currently runs a very busy head and neck cancer surgery practice with referrals from regional centres including Napier, New Plymouth and Whanganui. Having started Thyroid MDT at Palmerston North in 2014, Aneesh has been the chairman of the MDT since then. He has held several leadership roles including the Clinical Director of ENT department and Chairman of the Head and Neck MDT at Palmerston North Hospital. He has a special interest in surgery of skin cancer of the head and neck, and facial plastic surgery. Aneesh has good experience in facial reanimation techniques including gold weight to the upper eye lid, lower eyelid tightening, static slings and dynamic methods to improve smile using nerve graft and transfer.

Teaching

Won the Innovation award for design of laryngoscopes for difficult scopes
Training supervisor- for Advanced training registrars for ENT in New Zealand
Organiser- Central North Island Head and Neck oncology meeting
Organiser- Airway management/ Tracheostomy for Nurses
Organiser- Skin flap workshop
Faculty- Head and Neck dissection course, Auckland

Publications

Caitlin Mayhew, Aneesh MK Kumar, Naveed Basheeth. First case report on chemical pneumonitis from cornstarch aspiration from colour run. ANZ J Surg. 2020 July;90(7-8):1528-1529
TZU-Yu Chen, MK Aneeshkumar. Usefulness of video laryngoscopes before thyroid surgery to improve nerve monitoring: A technical note. Clinical Otolaryngology 43(1)
S Mark Taylor, Paul Kerr, Kevin Fung, Mankavil K Aneeshkumar, Derek Wilke, Yida jiang, John Scott, Judith Phillips, Robert D Hart, Jonathan RB Trites, Matthew Rigby. Treatment of T1b glottic SCC: laser vs. radiation- a Canadian multicenter study. Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery. Mar 2013. 42(1):22
MK Aneeshkumar, Kristelle Cheung, Rob Hart, Mark Taylor. Pivoted composite nasal septal flap for reconstruction of the nose. European archives of Oto-rhino-laryngology Jan 2013 270(9)
MK Aneeshkumar, Terry Jones, Martin Birchall. A new indicator-guided percutaneous emergency cricothyrotomy device: in viva study in man. European archive of Oto-rhino-laryngology. June 2008. 266(1):105-9
MK Aneeshkumar, T.M. Jones, S.R. Jackson, N.J Roland. Factors for treatment decision of elderly patients with head and neck cancer. British journal of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery Dec 2007 45(8)
MK Aneeshkumar, Eelam Osman, R Shahab, N.J. Roland. Look before you pack: Key point in epistaxis management. Emergency medicine journal. Jan 2006.22(12):912-3
MK Aneeshkumar, Eelam Osman, S. Ghosh, RW Clarke. Endoscopy: A must in neonatal respiratory distress. European archives of Oto-rhino-laryngology. June 2005 262(5)437-9
Eslam Osman, MK AneeshKumar, RW Clarke. Paediatric otolaryngology services in the UK: A postal questionnaire survey of ENT consultants. The journal of Laryngology and Otology. May 2005. 119(4):259-63
MK Aneeshkumar. SU Kale, M Kabbani, VC David. Cystic lymphangioma in adults: can trauma be the trigger? European archives of Oto-rhino-laryngology.May 2005.262(4):335-7
MK Aneeshkumar, Shiv Kumar Singh, Christopher Low, R Shahab. A safe and cost-effective method of removal of obstructed pharyngeal foreign body in the accident and emergency department. European archives of Oto-rhino-laryngology. April 2005. 262(3):192-3
MK Aneeshkumar S Ghosh, E Osman, RW Clarke. Complete tracheal rings: lower airway symptoms can delay diagnosis. European archives of Oto-rhino-laryngology.March 2005. 262(2):161-2
SU Kale, MK Aneeshkumar, VC David. Thyroid abscess- An acute emergency. European archives of Oto-rhino-laryngology. Oct 2004. 262(8):456-8
S Prasad, PKD Kapoor, MK Aneeshkumar, BN Kumar. Waiting list prioritization in the National Health Service. The journal of Laryngology and Otology. Feb 2004. 118(1):39-45