The same symptoms can come from polyps or inflammation, so they are assessed rather than assumed. Many patients spend months managing them quietly with pharmacy creams before having them properly looked at.
Colorectal and general surgery
Every condition he treats, in one place.
He treats conditions of the colon, rectum and anus alongside common general surgery, and uses minimally invasive technique wherever a case allows it.
Search the practice
38 entries
01
Conditions he treats
Three fields. One standard of care.
Colorectal work and general surgery all in one practice, so a problem that turns out to be something else does not become a second referral. 29 conditions and operations in all.
01
Anorectal conditions
Problems around the back passage, such as piles (haemorrhoids), tears, and infections. Common, awkward to raise, and usually very treatable.
- Read the haemorrhoids page
- Read the anal fissure page
About half of acute fissures heal with conservative measures within a few weeks. When they do not, medical and surgical options exist.
- Read the anal fistula page
It typically develops after a perianal abscess that did not heal fully. Surgical treatment is usually required, and preserving bowel control is a central consideration.
- Read the perianal abscess page
Perianal abscesses can escalate quickly. Knowing whether to go straight to A&E or to book an urgent clinic appointment can make a significant difference to recovery.
- Read the rectal prolapse page
It happens as the muscles and connective tissues that support the rectum weaken, and can lead to further complications if left untreated.
- Read the faecal incontinence page
It ranges from mild leakage during physical activity to a complete inability to control bowel movements, and often comes from problems with the muscles, nerves, or structural support.
02
Colon and bowel
Conditions of the large bowel, from polyps to colorectal cancer and inflammatory disease. Where screening does the most work.
- Read the colorectal cancer page
Around 2,600 new cases are diagnosed every year, about seven people every day. Early-stage disease frequently causes no pain and no visible bleeding.
- Read the colon polyps page
Most are under one centimetre and non-cancerous, but some can develop into colorectal cancer over time, which is why they are removed when found at colonoscopy.
- Read the diverticulitis page
The pouches form where weak spots in the intestinal wall bulge outward. Inflammation can bring severe abdominal pain, usually in the lower left, and changes in bowel habit.
- Read the crohn's disease page
Symptoms vary in severity and may include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fatigue and weight loss. Because it can affect different segments of the tract, it can lead to complications such as blockage.
- Read the ulcerative colitis page
The tissue damage it causes can lead to frequent bowel movements, bleeding and abdominal pain. Periods of active disease often alternate with periods of remission.
- Read the irritable bowel syndrome page
It does not cause permanent intestinal damage or raise the risk of colon cancer, but as a chronic condition it needs long-term symptom management.
- Read the celiac disease page
Eating gluten triggers an immune response that damages the villi lining the small intestine, which reduces how well nutrients are absorbed.
- Read the meckel's diverticulum page
Most people have no symptoms and it is often found by accident during tests for something else. In some cases it causes digestive problems that need attention.
- Read the small bowel obstruction page
Contents build up above the blocked area, which can cause severe abdominal pain and vomiting, and needs treatment.
- Read the large bowel obstruction page
Intestinal contents build up behind it and the bowel dilates, which can compromise blood flow to the bowel wall. Symptoms usually develop gradually over several days.
- Read the gastrointestinal bleeding page
It is typically a symptom of something underlying, such as an ulcer, inflammation or a polyp. Early evaluation identifies the cause.
03
General surgery
Common operations such as hernia, appendix, and gallbladder surgery, handled in the same practice rather than referred on.
- Read the inguinal hernia page
More common in men than in women, and either congenital, meaning present at birth, or acquired later in life.
- Read the umbilical hernia page
More common in infants, but also seen in adults with weakened abdominal muscles. Often harmless, though it can cause discomfort or complications if left untreated.
- Read the hiatal hernia page
The diaphragm normally keeps the stomach below the chest. Displacement can cause acid reflux and heartburn, and it is more common in adults.
- Read the appendicitis page
Without treatment the appendix may rupture. Removal is the definitive treatment, since the condition does not resolve on its own.
- Read the peritonitis page
It usually follows infection, often from a perforation in the digestive tract, an injury, or a medical procedure, and needs urgent attention.
- Read the intra-abdominal adhesions page
The scars can bind organs to each other or to the abdominal wall. They commonly develop after abdominal surgery and may cause chronic pain or digestive complications.
03
Diagnosis
Look first. Decide with evidence.
Most of these conditions share the same early symptoms, so the examination comes before the plan rather than after it. These are the methods used to diagnose colorectal conditions, and which of them you need depends on what the examination finds.
Colonoscopy
Appointments typically available within one working day
A flexible tube with a camera is passed through the rectum to examine the whole of the large intestine. Polyps and suspicious areas can be examined during the procedure, and a polyp found on the way can usually be removed in the same session. It is the one investigation that both finds a problem and treats it while you are already asleep.
What the test involves, what the preparation is, and what the day actually looks like is set out on the colonoscopy page.
The other 8 investigation methodsA colonoscopy is not always the first step, and for some questions it is not the right one
These are the alternatives, and what each is good at.
Faecal occult blood test
The FOBT is a non-invasive test that checks for blood in the stool that is not visible to the eye, which can be a sign of colorectal cancer or of another condition. Samples are collected at home and returned to the laboratory for analysis.
Sigmoidoscopy
Similar to a colonoscopy, but it examines only the lower part of the colon, the sigmoid colon, together with the rectum. It picks up abnormalities in that specific area and is commonly used where the trouble is confined to the lower bowel.
CT scan
Computed tomography builds cross-sectional images of the body. A CT can show tumours, inflammation and other abnormalities in the colon and in the tissues surrounding it, and it is how the extent of a problem is established.
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging produces detailed pictures of internal structures using powerful magnets and radio waves. It is what establishes how far a colorectal cancer has spread, and it is what an operation is planned from.
Barium enema
An X-ray test in which barium sulfate, a contrast dye, is introduced into the colon through the rectum. The X-rays then show up abnormalities of the colon such as polyps, diverticula and tumours.
Biopsy
During a colonoscopy or a sigmoidoscopy, tissue samples can be taken from any abnormal area. They are examined under a microscope for cancerous or pre-cancerous cells, and that is what confirms a diagnosis of colorectal cancer.
Blood tests
Blood tests can show inflammation or anaemia that points to an underlying colorectal problem. The tumour marker CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen, is not used to diagnose colorectal cancer. Once a cancer has been confirmed it helps with staging, and it is used to monitor how the disease responds to treatment and to pick up a recurrence.
Stool DNA test
This test detects DNA changes in cells shed into the stool, which can indicate a colorectal cancer or a polyp. It is non-invasive, and it is used alongside the other methods here rather than on its own.
1 in 2,000
Risk of a perforation at colonoscopy
Perforation is recorded at 0.5 per 1,000 colonoscopies, which is about one in two thousand. Bleeding afterwards runs at about 2.6 per 1,000, rising to about 9.8 per 1,000 when a polyp is removed, and death is recorded at about 2.9 per 100,000 procedures. These are pooled international figures; no Singapore-specific audit of them has been published.
Source: Reumkens et al., American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2016, pooled from 21 population-based studies
Bleeding after a colonoscopy, cases per 1,000 procedures
- Scope alone
- 2.6 in 1,000
- Polyp removed
- 9.8 in 1,000
Source: Reumkens et al., American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2016
The bars compare the two bleeding rates against a scale of ten per thousand, and the figures beside them are the exact ones. Removing a polyp carries roughly four times the bleeding risk of a plain diagnostic scope, which is worth knowing in advance rather than afterwards, and it is still small against what removing that polyp prevents.
07
Your specialist
A surgeon who measures twice, and listens first.
Dr Sulaiman Bin Yusof is a colorectal and general surgeon. He has more than 20 years of surgical experience across the public and private sectors, and consults at five clinics across Singapore.
Patients consult Dr Sulaiman for his depth of experience in colorectal cancer and in perianal conditions, and for consultations that are thorough, unhurried, and focused on giving patients a clear understanding of their options.
- Years of surgical experience
20
Years of surgical experience
- Endoscopic procedures performed
10,000+
Endoscopic procedures performed
- Robotic cancer operations
100+
Robotic cancer operations
- Clinic locations across Singapore
5
Clinic locations across Singapore
- MBChB (Sheffield), M.Med (Surgery), FRCSEd (General Surgery)
- Consults in English and Malay
- MOH Fellowship, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne
- Singapore Health Quality Service Star Award 2023
- Dean's Honour Roll for Teaching
Credentials and fellowship training
Dr Sulaiman holds an MBChB from the University of Sheffield, a Master of Medicine in Surgery, and a Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in General Surgery. He completed a Ministry of Health Fellowship at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, where he trained in complex colorectal cancer surgery. He serves as a Visiting Consultant at Changi General Hospital and has contributed eight peer-reviewed publications to the medical literature.
Former Director of Endoscopy, Changi General Hospital
Dr Sulaiman previously served as Director of Endoscopy at Changi General Hospital, where he led a high-volume diagnostic endoscopy service covering colonoscopy and gastroscopy across a broad and varied patient population. He brings that public-sector depth of experience into his private practice, and it is the reason the endoscopy figure in the row above is the size it is.
Teaching and recognition
He has been recognised on the Dean’s Honour Roll for Teaching and received the Singapore Health Quality Service Star Award 2023, which between them reflect his contribution to surgical education and to clinical care.
The whole career, in order, is on the about Dr Sulaiman page.
08
Robotic and minimally invasive surgery
Smaller incisions. Greater precision.
How he uses robotic assistance, and what he uses it for, is set out on the about Dr Sulaiman page.
Keyhole is the standard approach where suitable
05
Operations he performs
Keyhole and robotic, where they fit.
Smaller incisions mean less pain and a faster return to normal life. Which approach suits a given case is decided at assessment, not before it.
- Laparoscopic hernia repair
- Keyhole repair of a hernia. Most patients return to light activity within one to two weeks.
- Laparoscopic gallbladder removal
- Keyhole removal of the gallbladder, usually after repeated gallstone attacks.
- Laparoscopic hemicolectomy
- Keyhole removal of one side of the colon through several small incisions.
- Laparoscopic anterior resection
- Keyhole removal of a diseased section of the rectum, preserving as much of it as possible.
- Robotic colectomy and anterior resection
- Performed from a console with 3D visualisation, chosen case by case on clinical assessment.
- Robotic rectal cancer surgery
- Meticulous dissection in the narrow pelvis, which matters most in rectal cancer surgery.
09
Day surgery
In by morning.Home by evening.
Many procedures, including colonoscopy, gastroscopy, hernia repair and gallbladder surgery, can be done as day cases. You are admitted and discharged the same day, and you recover at home.
- MediSave
- Day surgery charges draw on MediSave within the published withdrawal limits.
- Integrated Shield
- Many day procedures are covered by Integrated Shield Plans.
- Follow-up
- Anything sent to the laboratory is discussed at your follow-up, typically within one to two weeks.
02
Symptoms and signs
Not sure where your symptoms fit?
Many colorectal conditions share the same early symptoms, which is why the examination comes before the plan. These are the signs most commonly associated with colorectal disease, and what each one usually means.
Rectal bleeding, or a change in bowel habit lasting more than two to three weeks, should be assessed rather than watched.
A change in bowel habits
Consistent changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhoea, constipation, or a change in the consistency of the stool, may point to a colorectal problem. A change in how often you go, or in the form of what you pass, is worth examining rather than waiting out.
Rectal bleeding
Haemorrhoids, anal fissures, diverticulitis and colorectal cancer can all cause bleeding from the rectum. Blood may appear as bright red streaks on the toilet paper, or mixed into the stool itself. It is common, it is usually benign, and it still needs a proper diagnosis rather than an assumption.
Abdominal pain
Recurring stomach pain may indicate a colorectal problem. Diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer can each produce anything from minor cramps through to severe, acute abdominal pain.
Sudden weight loss
Weight loss you cannot account for, particularly alongside fatigue or a change in bowel habit, may indicate colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease.
Fatigue
Long-running tiredness can be associated with colorectal disease, often through anaemia caused by slow blood loss over months, or through poor absorption of nutrients from food.
Tenesmus
Tenesmus is the feeling of not being able to empty the bowel after a bowel movement, often described as a constant urge to go to the toilet. It shows up in people with inflammatory bowel disease and in colon cancer.
Mucus in the stool
Mucus in the stool can be a sign of inflammation or infection in the colon, as seen in conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and colonic infections.
Narrow stools
Stools that appear narrower than usual, often described as ribbon-like, can indicate a narrowing or an obstruction within the colon or rectum. Colorectal cancer is one cause of that narrowing, and it is not the only one.
Excessive bloating
Persistent bloating and wind can be symptoms of a number of colorectal problems, inflammatory bowel disease and diverticulitis among them.
Where each of these usually fits
Start from what you have noticed, and it will point you to the part of the practice that covers it.
- Anorectal conditions
Bleeding
Blood in the stool or on tissue is common and often benign, such as haemorrhoids, but it should always be properly diagnosed.
- Colon and bowel
A change in bowel habit
Constipation, diarrhoea, or a change in stool calibre persisting beyond 2 to 4 weeks deserves assessment, not guesswork.
- Colon and bowel
Pain, a lump, or weight loss
Persistent lower abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, anaemia, or a new lump around the anus are reasons to seek a review.
- Colonoscopy
A family history of colorectal cancer
A family history changes when screening should begin, so it is worth raising even with no symptoms at all.
None of this is a diagnosis. Most of these conditions are treatable, and the earlier they are looked at the simpler that tends to be. The next step in every case is the same, a consultation.
10
Where he sees patients
Care, close to home.
Five clinics across Singapore, so a follow-up is not a journey. Consult Dr Sulaiman at whichever is nearest, for an accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan made for your case.
Our clinic locations across Singapore
- 6 Napier Road #06-08, Singapore 258499
Gleneagles Medical Centre
- 38 Irrawaddy Road, #10-48/49, Singapore 329563
Mount Elizabeth Novena
- #05-08, 319 Joo Chiat Place, Singapore 427989
Parkway East Hospital
- #08-62, Medical Centre D, 820 Thomson Road, Singapore 574623
Mount Alvernia Hospital
- #14-12, 1 Farrer Park Station Road, Singapore 217562
Connexion
Farrer Park Medical Centre
Insurance and MediSave
Insurance and MediSave
MediSave (source: CPF Board, using MediSave for hospitalisation, opens in a new tab) and Integrated Shield Plans apply to many procedures, for Singaporeans, Singapore Permanent Residents and foreigners. The clinic works with the major Singapore insurers, and the staff will check your own plan with you.
08
Book a consultation
Bring your questions. Leave with a plan.
One short form, and the clinic replies on WhatsApp with what is actually open that week.