I was getting ready for a thyroid surgery and I was desperate to find any information and photos of the ENT clinic to be as prepared as possible. Old reviews on this site helped me, so I want to help others who are going through the same thing.
I was diagnosed with a thyroid adenoma. I found it here on the ENT clinic website in March-April 2025. In Tula, all the tests didn't give me a clear understanding of where it was, but the ENT clinic literally saved me from a pointless surgery, as there's a real-life story of a woman who had the surgery done in Tula, but they still couldn't find the adenoma.
In March, the ultrasound at the ENT clinic clearly told me where it was, and in April, the OFECT-CT scan also at the ENT clinic confirmed it. I got the referral from Tula for free, as it was a free service. Then I had a paid consultation with a surgeon, and he referred me for the surgery. He said that the quotas would be available no earlier than September, as there were none left, and the queue was growing.
I was able to get the quota by filling out the information at the information desk, and the waiting game began. I always had the Rosminzdrav page open, and on August 22nd, I saw the information that the planned hospitalization date was November 13th. On August 23rd, I got a call from the Ministry of Health informing me about this.
I took the list of tests from the website and started going through them by date. I was really dreading the FGDs, so I decided to consult with a surgeon to confirm if I really needed to do them. The surgeon gave me an even more detailed list, and I ended up coming with all the tests that most people don't have.
Lab Results
I was already dealing with a nasty cold for two weeks before I got the call from the hospital, and then a week later, I received a call from the ENTC to inform me about the upcoming surgery. Normally, people have to scramble to get the necessary tests done at the last minute.
I told them I had a cold, and they advised me to take it seriously since I wouldn't be able to have the surgery this year if I didn't get better. I was freaking out, but they reassured me that I'd be okay.
I had to deal with a week of feeling miserable, taking meds, and trying to get better. I even had to go see the ENT specialist, who basically told me to take care of my cold before and after the surgery. The blood test results showed that the inflammation had gone down, and everything was back to normal.
I managed to get the final test results (blood and urine) and headed to the ENTC. Since I didn't want to wake up at the crack of dawn to make the trip from Tula, we arrived in Moscow the day before and booked a place near the city center. On November 13th, I arrived at the hospital entrance at dawn, picked up my pass, and headed to the reception area. The entrance to the reception area is located to the left of the main entrance, after the pass control point.
Hospitalization
I walked in and got buzzed in by the guard, who checked my surname on the list and waved me through. He told me where to leave my luggage and handed me some papers to fill out: a data consent form and info about my emergency contacts. I had to sign a bunch of forms and take them to the first room.
In that room, they took my temperature, started my medical chart, and attached my HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis test results, as well as a chest X-ray to the chart. It took about 3-5 minutes per person.
Next, they sent me to rooms 105 and 106. The queues weren't as fast here. Again, they took my temperature, blood pressure, and did some computer work, which took around 10-15 minutes per person.
Then, they sent me to collect my stuff and wait for the escort to take me to my room. While I was waiting, they attached a white plastic wristband to my arm with my info on it. I had that thing with me all the way home – I didn't have scissors on me, so I had to wear it for a while!
They escorted me and another girl to the 5th floor – that's the surgical department. The others were sent to different floors. We waited for 15 minutes before the escort came for me. I thought they'd be reviewing my test results and research next, but nope – they just let me into the department and told me: 'Room 530.' They gave me a patient info sheet.
Patient Guide
I headed out to find it myself, and when I got there, there were already two women waiting. They showed me which bed was available. By the way, the second woman who was admitted with me was left sitting in the waiting area - I have no idea how long they kept her there.
Each bed has a note with the patient's name, date of birth, and admission date. So, I got to know everyone in the ward. There were three of us in the room, and I was lucky to get the best bed - it was by the window with plenty of power outlets.
I checked out the daily schedule and remembered that they promised to feed us lunch. I was already getting hungry, as it was around 1 pm. Luckily, I had eaten something before leaving. Daily Schedule
And then they called everyone in for lunch. That's when I first saw the cafeteria. It's not very big, with a microwave, a water cooler (I'm not sure if it's connected to the water supply), a table for the tea urns, and a sink for washing your hands - there's liquid soap available, but no soap for washing dishes.
Every lunch was a bowl of soup, a salad, and a main course. They brought me kefir for a snack.
Between all the commotion, the surgical assistant, the anesthesiologist, and the surgeon would come by and tell me how to prepare for the operation. The surgical assistant would gather all my test results and if anything was missing, they'd send someone to get it right away.
When I had free time, everyone would just wander around the corridors – there wasn't much to do, and there was no TV anywhere.The surgeon would come by and tell me when my operation was scheduled (mine was at 12 pm)
The anesthesiologist would conduct a questionnaire – if I had any health issues, if I smoked, if I was an alcoholic or a drug addict. They'd explain everything about the operation and the anesthesia, and answer any questions I had. This is when they first told me that I'd be without my phone for a day after the operation and would be in the recovery room.
And then it was time for dinner.
Food is always served in containers. If there's no space in the cafeteria (even if there is), you can take the containers to your room and eat there. I ended up eating in my room a couple of times – it was just too crowded. In fact, it was a real battle for a spot, like if you didn't grab one, you wouldn't be allowed to sit down. It was funny and confusing at the same time. But it was entertaining to watch people rush to occupy the available seats after their operations – like they were on a mission to secure a spot.
On the day before the surgery, we were allowed to eat until 9 PM and drink until midnight.
I had to put on compression stockings right after waking up (this is a must, so make sure to bring them with you). Then, we could wash up and wait for the transport - the gurney. The others could go get breakfast while life in the hospital rooms continued as usual.
THE OPERATION
And then, in the most unexpected moment, when you're least thinking about the surgery, the gurney bursts into the room! Let me remind you, I was told the surgery was at 12:00. They arrived to pick me up at 11:10. I hadn't even had a chance to write anyone, so I quickly put my phone away, got undressed, and got settled on the gurney. Then, they rushed me off to the operating room.
There were two transfers on the way. At one transfer, they put a cap on my head and blue booties on my feet. At the second transfer, which was in the operating room, I had to climb onto the operating table.
That's when the magic happened. A cold plaster was stuck to my leg, a catheter was inserted into my hand, and two sensors were attached to my back. A blood pressure cuff was put on my arm. Then, I heard the anesthesiologist's voice. She calmed me down, telling me everything would be okay. She asked for my height and weight, entered the information into some screen, and then started administering medications through the catheter. I just saw dark spots in front of my eyes and zoned out.
The next second, they were asking me where I used to live in Vorkuta - in the city or a settlement. That's where I was born. I managed to turn my brain on a bit and answer, but I really wanted to sleep. It wasn't clear why they were waking me up, since I was sleeping so soundly. I had no idea that the surgery was already over. When I finally came to, I realized I was in the recovery room.
It wasn't too bad. I had a pulse monitor on my right hand, a blood pressure cuff on my left, and all those sensors on my back. This massive bandage on my neck was a bit of a nuisance. While I was lying there, two more women were brought in to join me for the night. We spent the next few hours in silence, only to be separated and taken to our respective rooms at 8 am.
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RECOVERY
The scariest part of my experience was the recovery process. I had no idea what time it was, and every cough and swallow was painful because of the stitches. It was impossible to turn my head, and my back and legs were stiff. Because of my height, the bed seemed too short. I couldn't even call for help. I wasn't allowed to use the bathroom on my own and had to ask for a commode, which would be brought in. But even that was a struggle. It was all very exhausting, frightening, and frustrating at the same time. One of the women was getting anxious, and I was right there with her. We were both on the verge of tears. The hours dragged on. What kept us going was our nurse, Dmitry. He was always positive, answered all our questions, and helped us in any way he could. When I was feeling down, he even offered me a thin blanket to replace the scratchy one I was using. In short, he did everything he could to make us feel better and get back to our normal lives as soon as possible.
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RETURN TO THE WARD
The next morning, we were taken back to our ward. The surgeon came to see me and changed my dressings in the recovery room. He gave me some instructions and recommended that I spend the day in bed and only get up to go to the dining hall or the bathroom.
I sprinted to the mirror as fast as I could, wanting to see what was going on with the bruise on my neck. But, to be honest, it was pretty hard to make out. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then, they called me to breakfast.
Swallowing wasn't too painful, and breakfast flew by. I took it back to my room so I wouldn't scare anyone. For lunch and dinner, I went down to the cafeteria with everyone. And that's how I spent the whole day, but having my phone was a huge help. The swelling was definitely noticeable, but it wasn't too painful – everything just felt heavy. Walking was a real struggle, I didn't have the energy in my legs. But, by the next day, I was itching to get out and about. Especially after they told me I'd be discharged the following Monday, November 17th.
I even found it in the corridors of the hospital – I had to snap a photo. Sunday flew by, with thoughts of my impending discharge. My neighbors, though, were freaking out – they had surgery scheduled for the next day. By the way, their hospital transport arrived 30 and 50 minutes early, and they were totally shocked. I had warned them, though!