Services
Consultations
I provide specialist knowledge and treatment in Endocrine Surgery and General Surgery. This includes thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal gland disorders as well as variety of general surgical conditions.
Please bring with you to your appointment:
referral letter from GP/specialist
medicare card
a list of your current medications/doses
radiology and blood test results
ultrasound and CT scans
Urgent appointments are available if required.
Sestamibi scan showing a right inferior parathyroid adenoma
Reasons for referral
Patients are often referred to Dr Lam for the following reasons:
a lump in the thyroid/neck
symptoms of an enlarged thyroid (difficulty swallowing, choking feeling when swallowing or lying flat, pressure or tightness in the neck)
hyperparathyroidism
incidental findings on tests (thyroid nodules, adrenal nodules, raised calcium blood test)
management of thyroid, parathyroid, or adrenal cancer
surgery
If surgery is required, Dr Lam performs operations on private patients at Epworth Richmond or Warringal Private Hospital.
Dr Lam also operates at the following public hospitals:
Austin Health
St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne
Western Health
thyroid surgery
This may be undertaken for conditions such as multinodular goitre, retrosternal goitre, Grave's disease, thyroid nodules or thyroid cancer. Usually patients are admitted to hospital on the day of surgery and are able to go home the following morning.
Parathyroid surgery
Parathyroid glands help control the calcium in the body. Occasionally one or more of these may become overactive and cause high calcium levels in the blood. High calcium can cause symptoms such as fatigue, low energy levels, difficulty concentrating, aches and pains, renal stones and also contribute to osteoporosis. Surgery is the only long term cure available.
adrenal surgery
The adrenal glands are situated near the top of each kidney and make a variety of hormones. With the increasing use of ultrasound and CT scans, nodules on the adrenal glands are increasingly being picked up incidentally - the "adrenal incidentalomas." The vast majority of these do not need surgery, but if it is required, it can usually be performed via a minimally invasive (keyhole) approach.
About
Dr Lam became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) in 2013 and has undergone extensive post-fellowship training in Endocrine and General Surgery, including two years in Melbourne and one year as the Senior Clinical Fellow in Endocrine Surgery at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Here she also learnt skills such as fibreoptic nasoendoscopy for examination of vocal cords and retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy (RPA). She now is a consultant Endocrine and General Surgeon at several tertiary hospitals in Melbourne.
She grew up in rural New Zealand and enjoyed undergraduate life at the University of Otago. Following this, she moved to Melbourne where she worked as a junior doctor. In 2005 she spent time abroad, participating in a medical aid programme in Sri Lanka in the wake of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami and then working within the NHS in London. She returned to Melbourne in 2006 and completed her General Surgery training at Western Health.
Her clinical interests are in quality of life in thyroid surgery, parathyroid disease, and the management of incidental endocrine findings. She also enjoys teaching medical students and junior doctors.
CONSULTATION LOCATIONS
Dr Tracey Lam consults from her main rooms in Suite 6.5, Epworth Richmond, and also at Endocrinology Melbourne in Heidelberg Heights.
Please contact the main rooms for all appointments and enquiries between 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday.
P: 03 9429 1002
F: 03 8672 0771
E: admin@generalsurgerymelbourne.com.au
SUITE 6.5 EPWORTH RICHMOND
Level 6, Danks Wing, Epworth Richmond
89 Bridge Road, Richmond VIC 3121
Parking
Paid parking is available at Epworth Richmond with entry via Bridge Road or there is metered 2 hour parking in the surrounding streets. Please be aware that parking inspectors are active in the area.
Public Transport
Tram: When coming to Epworth Richmond via the city, catch tram 48 towards North Balwyn from Collins St or tram 75 towards East Burwood from Flinders St and get off at tram stop number 15
Train: The closest train station to Epworth Richmond is West Richmond, which can be reached via the South Morang and Hurstbridge Lines. Richmond station on Swan Street is also a 15-minutes walk from the hospital.
ENDOCRINOLOGY MELBOURNE
76 Edwin Street
Heidelberg Heights, VIC 3081
Please contact the main rooms on 03 9429 1002 for all appointments and enquiries
Parking
Free onsite parking is available at Endocrinology Melbourne
Public Transport
The 513 and 903 bus stops are a 1 minute walk from Endocrinology Melbourne. The closest train station is Heidelberg train station servicing the Hurstbridge line.