My Medical Gateway News

If you are searching for private treatment in the UK, one critical question is often overlooked: who will perform your surgery? This blog explores the world-class surgeons leading MMG’s European hospitals, many with international training, high surgical volumes and extensive research credentials. It also explains why UK patients, often given little visibility over their surgeon, are increasingly choosing MMG for faster access, lower prices and complete transparency in their care.

When patients in the UK search online for private treatment, the focus is usually on two things: cost and waiting time. Both are important, and both are pushing increasing numbers of people to look beyond the NHS and the domestic private sector. But there is a more fundamental question that rarely gets asked early enough in the process. Who is actually performing the surgery?

In the NHS, most patients never really know. They are placed on a waiting list and move through a system where access is determined by capacity, not choice. The identity of the surgeon is often only confirmed shortly before the procedure, with little opportunity for research, comparison or meaningful engagement. Even in the UK private sector, while more choice exists in theory, it is often shaped by referral pathways and insurer networks rather than open, transparent comparison.

This lack of visibility stands in sharp contrast to the model being built by My Medical Gateway.

MMG is not just a platform for accessing faster or more affordable treatment in Europe. It is a platform built around transparency, where the surgeon is placed at the centre of the decision-making process. Patients are not simply choosing a hospital. They are choosing a specialist, based on clear, detailed information about their experience, training and track record. And when you look closely at the surgeons within MMG’s accredited European hospital network, a consistent picture emerges.

These are senior specialists, often with decades of experience, international training and a strong academic presence. Across multiple specialties, one of the most striking features is the extent of international experience. Many of these surgeons have trained or practised across several countries, bringing together different clinical approaches and standards. Dr Jorge Muñoz, for example, has developed his expertise across Argentina, Spain, Germany and Brazil, focusing on complex gynaecological and oncological surgery. Dr Danguolė Vildaitė has undertaken advanced training across Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Switzerland and Germany, while maintaining over 30 years of clinical practice. 

In orthopaedics, specialists such as Dr Giedrius Kvederas and Professor Šarūnas Tarasevičius have trained and worked across Europe and the United States, combining high surgical volume with academic leadership. This level of international exposure is not unusual within the MMG network. 

The second defining characteristic is surgical volume. Many of these specialists operate at a scale that reflects deep procedural experience. Dr Anastasios Vekris has performed more than 20,000 procedures in hair restoration surgery. Dr Almantas Maleckas has carried out over 7,000 bariatric surgeries and is widely regarded as a pioneer of laparoscopic techniques in his region. 

In orthopaedics, Professor Tarasevičius has completed more than 5,000 joint replacements, while Dr Cătălin Prescură performs hundreds of procedures each year focused on hip and knee surgery. In cardiac surgery, Dr Theodor Cebotaru has performed thousands of complex interventions, including more than 3,500 bypass procedures and over 3,000 valve surgeries. 

These are not occasional operators:  they are high-volume specialists, where repetition and experience translate into consistency and confidence in outcomes.

The third pattern is equally important. A significant number of MMG’s surgeons are also active in research and academia. It is a network of clinicians who are contributing to the development of their fields.

Dr Vekris has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications. Dr Albertas Daukša has contributed around 70 scientific papers, while Dr Eglė Bartusevičienė has co-authored over 100 publications and multiple textbooks. Dr Muñoz has participated in more than 100 conferences, and Professor Tarasevičius has authored over 50 research papers while leading a national joint replacement registry. Many hold university positions, teach future surgeons or lead national professional bodies. This level of academic engagement reflects an ongoing commitment to evidence-based practice and continuous improvement. 

For patients searching for private treatment in the UK, this changes the decision-making framework entirely. Instead of entering a system where the surgeon is largely unknown, patients using MMG can review detailed profiles, understand surgical experience and make an informed choice. They can see whether their surgeon has international training, how many procedures they have performed and whether they are actively involved in research.

This level of transparency is combined with something equally important: speed. Once a patient submits their diagnostic data, their chosen hospital will review the case and provide three available surgery dates within a six-week window. This is built into the operating model. For patients who may otherwise be facing months of waiting, this represents a rapid and predictable route to treatment, allowing them to resolve their condition and return to normal life far sooner.

When this is combined with significantly lower pricing across many procedures compared to UK private healthcare, the overall proposition becomes difficult to ignore. The presence of highly experienced, internationally trained and academically active surgeons within European hospitals also challenges a long-standing assumption. Lower prices do not mean lower quality. In many cases, patients are accessing specialists whose experience and credentials are comparable to, or exceed, what they would find in the UK private sector.

For patients currently searching online for private treatment in the UK, whether for orthopaedics, cosmetic procedures or specialist surgery, the landscape is changing. The choice is no longer limited to waiting or paying a premium. There is now a third option. One that offers visibility, control and access to a network of proven specialists across Europe.