Mr Waseem Bhat

Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgeon

Mr Waseem Bhat is a Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgeon based in Leeds, with a specialist practice spanning cosmetic surgery, hand and peripheral nerve surgery, microsurgery and complex reconstruction.

He holds a substantive NHS consultant post at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, where he manages some of the most complex reconstructive cases referred to the service from across the country, and is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Leeds. In his private practice, he provides specialist surgical care for both adults and children.

Mr Bhat trained extensively across the UK, completing his Core Surgical training in Yorkshire but embarking on his Higher Surgical Training in Plastic Surgery in Oxford, Bristol and the North East. He undertook advanced fellowship training in microsurgery and lower limb reconstruction in Leeds. He was subsequently appointed to the prestigious national Training Interface Group (TIG) fellowship in hand surgery in Birmingham. He holds an MSc in Reconstructive Microsurgery and the British Diploma in Hand Surgery.

Alongside his clinical practice, Mr Bhat has a longstanding commitment to surgical education and training. He is an examiner for both the FRCS(Plast) examination and the British Diploma in Hand Surgery, and has contributed to FRCS Plastic Surgery question writing and standard setting. He also leads an advanced microsurgical fellowship programme in Leeds, attracting surgeons from the UK and internationally for specialist training

Cosmetic and Aesthetic Surgery

Mr Bhat has a particular specialist interest in facial rejuvenation, breast surgery and body contouring and is Board Certified in Cosmetic Surgery through the Royal College of Surgeons’ Cosmetic Surgery Certification Scheme, providing patients with independent recognition of his training, experience and professional standards in aesthetic surgery.

His reconstructive and microsurgical background brings a detailed understanding of anatomy, tissue handling and surgical planning to his aesthetic practice. Every treatment begins with a careful consultation to understand what concerns the patient, what they hope to achieve and, importantly, what will best suit their individual anatomy and proportions.

His aesthetic practice includes:

• Facial rejuvenation — facelift, deep-plane facelift and neck lift surgery
• Eyelid surgery — upper and lower blepharoplasty
• Facial fat transfer — fat grafting and restoration of facial volume
• Breast surgery — breast augmentation, reduction and uplift (mastopexy), male gynaecomastia surgery
• Revision breast surgery — including implant exchange and correction of previous breast surgery
• Abdominoplasty — including abdominal contouring following pregnancy or significant weight loss. Mini, standard and Fleur de Lys abdominoplasties and belt lipectomy or circumferential abdominoplasty
• Body contouring — including arm lift (brachioplasty) and thigh lift
• Post-weight-loss surgery
• Revision aesthetic surgery

Mr Bhat takes a considered and individualised approach to cosmetic surgery. Rather than applying the same operation to every patient, surgical planning is tailored to the patient's anatomy, proportions and priorities, with the aim of achieving results that are balanced, refined and long-lasting.

Hand and Peripheral Nerve Surgery

Mr Bhat provides specialist treatment for a broad range of hand, wrist and peripheral nerve conditions, from common problems affecting everyday function to complex reconstructive surgery.

His practice includes:

• Carpal tunnel decompression
• Cubital tunnel decompression
• Trigger finger and trigger thumb surgery
• Dupuytren's disease
• Thumb CMC joint replacement
• Hand and wrist joint replacement
• Joint fusion (arthrodesis)
• Hand and wrist arthritis surgery
• Tendon surgery and reconstruction
• Peripheral nerve surgery/Brachial plexus surgery
• Nerve decompression, repair and reconstruction
• Nerve grafting
• Complex hand trauma and reconstruction

His combined expertise in hand surgery, peripheral nerve surgery and microsurgery allows him to manage particularly complex problems, including patients requiring reconstruction following injury or previous surgery.

Microsurgery, Lymphatic Surgery and Complex Reconstruction

A major part of Mr Bhat's specialist practice is microsurgical and reconstructive surgery. Within his NHS practice, he manages complex tertiary referrals involving limb reconstruction and salvage, breast reconstruction, peripheral nerve reconstruction and major soft-tissue defects following trauma, cancer surgery and previous failed or complex procedures.

He also has specialist expertise in lymphatic microsurgery, including lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) for appropriately selected patients with lymphoedema. LVA is a highly specialised supermicrosurgical procedure in which tiny functioning lymphatic vessels are connected to small veins, creating alternative pathways for lymphatic drainage.

Mr Bhat is also part of the specialist surgical team supporting the UK national hand transplant programme, reflecting his involvement in some of the most technically advanced reconstructive surgery undertaken in the UK.

Whether treating a complex reconstructive problem or undertaking elective aesthetic surgery, his approach is founded on the same principles: detailed anatomical knowledge, meticulous surgical technique, careful planning and an understanding that a successful result must consider both function and appearance.

Professional Memberships and Appointments

Mr Bhat is a member of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) and the British Society for Surgery of the Hand (BSSH). He is listed on the GMC Specialist Register for Plastic Surgery and remains actively involved in surgical education and professional development nationally and internationally.