Professor Tonchev - My Personal Experience From Consultation to Surgery
This is my personal, real experience from the first consultation with Professor Tonchev to the surgery. Personal impressions, thoughts, and conclusions during and after the visits to the medical center, shared with you. My opinion and impressions are shaped by my life experience and do not necessarily have to match yours.
So, the very next day after my visit with Associate Professor Bachvarov, I managed to show up at Professor Tonchev’s office.
First impressions
Facilities
Access control (it’s not like an open yard), exceptionally clean and decorated with style. At first glance you can tell someone has taste. Paintings, flowers, etc., even a small flower garden and planters in front of the entrance.
Rarely (even in a private medical facility) do I see a shoe-cover machine. There are no patients who “f*** around” struggling to put on shoe covers. Clean, cozy, with a large model of a barque in the foyer. For me, looking at it was calming given the horror I was expecting. Because the first tooth I had pulled by a young dentist with “half-anesthesia” gave me a huge phobia of everything related to dental practice. The moment I see a dentist, I go into “fight or flight.” Even though my later experiences with dentists gradually softened the phobia, I still can’t get used to it.
There is a folder with a price list in a visible place, so while you wait it’s inevitable that you’ll get familiar with the service prices. “Yes,” the prices aren’t like at an average dental center, but you hardly expect Elon Musk to change your Tesla’s tire for the price of the local tire guy.
Only three offices were within my view, but the corridors continued in another direction, so the only thing I could see were doctors passing in front of me (I recognize them by their clothing).
I’m describing only what I saw. I wasn’t able to look around everywhere and analyze in detail, so this is...
The encounter
First visit with Professor Tonchev
A nurse came out of a door and headed toward me. She asked me for my name and appointment time and invited me into the Professor’s office. For the first time, I saw Prof. Tonchev.
A large build like a former wrestler (I myself am a national wrestling champion - I recognize wrestlers; I’m not sure, but he looked like one), visible signs of muscle mass and strong hands (I mean big palms). Why do I mention this? After the first look I thought: "If this guy is going to operate on me, my imagination is poor - he looks like a butcher". Yes, I know. First impression. I handed him the folder given to me by Associate Professor Bachvarov and sat in the dental chair. “Dental chair” = horror.
To my right I heard only: "Hmm... hmm..."
He settled me into the dental chair, moved behind me, and began feeling both sides of my head and neck under the ears. That’s when I felt the “strong hands” mentioned above. Palpation. Firm pressure. Me - quietly terrified. He moved to my right, sat on the stool (or whatever the little chair is called that dentists sit on when they work low).
Professor Tonchev: "I trust Associate Professor Bachvarov. Tumor!"
Me: "? ! ? ! ? !"
Most likely, seeing the confusion and horror in my eyes, he continued:
Professor Tonchev: "‘Tumor’ in Latin means a formation. No panic. Enjoy the holidays so we don’t take risks. I want a CT scan with contrast and slices no more than 1 mm." - He said something else like “axial,” “maxial,” but mentally I was no longer there. I left and the whole way (waiting for the taxi) I kept thinking: "What a poker-face. He could have shown at least some empathy. "
On the main page I mentioned that in my family there is also a surgeon with 37 years of experience. I remembered. When it comes to the profession, he’s a total “badger.” No emotions, no empathy, so “unfeeling” according to stories that he didn’t flinch when his granddaughter wasn’t breathing after birth. In real life he’s the total opposite. It’s as if at work and at home I see two different people. When I asked him “How come?”, he answered that a doctor, especially a surgeon, can’t afford emotions, otherwise he’ll crack. In moments when life is decided in a second, emotion is the worst advisor. Here I recall a phrase said by Professor Tonchev: "I make decisions in a second".
I told myself: "If Professor Tonchev is cut from the same cloth as “my doctor,” the poker-face doesn’t matter to me. In the end I need not a comedian, but a good surgeon."
New Year
Every year I fly to a place that is close to the North Pole. Normal temperature is minus 30 - 40° Celsius. -10° is considered “warm weather.” There I had an MRI and CT with contrast enhancement. Several imaging specialists with no less than 15 years of experience concluded that it was either a pleomorphic adenoma or an inflamed lymph node accompanied by bleeding. According to them, the images of the two are very similar, and the only way that provides a 100% guarantee is a biopsy. Recommendation: verification with a fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB).
Before New Year’s I caught another flu (apparently the one upstairs thought I’d missed a letter), but even with a fever I welcomed the New Year properly.
Still, Professor Tonchev advised me to enjoy the holidays without worry.
Second visit with Professor Tonchev (22.01.2026)
I returned to Bulgaria on 10.01.2026, and the thoughts returned too... I’m going to the medical center...
Doorbell, the door opens, shoe covers (I really like this machine), the little sofa, and I wait... The same nurse comes out and now I know what to do.
Actually, during all my visits with Professor Tonchev I was very impressed by the punctuality. Not a minute late. From my life experience I’ve concluded that quality people are recognized by their principles. The value matrix we carry within us determines our behavior, and our behavior reveals our value matrix.
Professor Tonchev was already more welcoming, I even caught a smile. He was more talkative than before, which really helped me loosen up.
I hand over the flash drive with everything I have, and I wait...
He reviewed the images on the laptop, turned to me, and thoroughly explained what he saw and what we do from here on.
Professor Tonchev: "A biopsy and analysis are needed".
We agreed to talk and set the day for the FNAB.
Third visit with Professor Tonchev (09.02.2026 - FNAB)
I’ll skip the beginning so I don’t repeat myself, with the only difference being that Professor Tonchev was a bit different. He greeted me warmly, instructed the nurse to prepare what they needed. More relaxed in his movements and different in his expression.
While they’re getting ready, I’m thinking: "FNAB - fine needle, it probably won’t hurt, right, it’s a thin needle..." I even decided not to look, since I’m a “drama queen.” I turned the other way and didn’t even have a drop of doubt about how it would go. I’m thinking: "If it hits the facial nerve now and I reflexively change position or turn my neck, can I break this needle and have it stay in me? Whatever happens, I have to stay like a statue, but with relaxed muscles. Relax, Aydin, relax..."
He grabbed it with two fingers (I felt them) and hop - I feel it going in... Not painful, more on the border between discomfort and pain. I think: "If it keeps going in, it will probably hurt", and... hop, he pulled the needle out. Apparently Professor Tonchev saw my plastered legs twisted in terror, and when he finished, he said:
Did it hurt that much? - placing gauze on the puncture site.
He gave me contact details for getting the cytology result. That was it.
Associate Professor Zgurova and the FNAB results
Professor Tonchev gave me contact details to reach Associate Professor Zgurova for the results. I was amazed that everything was ready on 11.02.2026.
Diagnosis: "Diagnostic category II - probably benign cytological material - pleomorphic adenoma. With an opinion for surgical treatment for further clarification".
In short, it means:
- Category II - benign process
- Probably benign - no evidence of malignancy
- Pleomorphic adenoma - the most common benign tumor of the salivary gland
- Surgical treatment - removal is recommended because while it is small, the consequences are smaller; it may grow; rarely, but it can transform after long-term existence; the final diagnosis is made by histology
I express my great gratitude to Associate Professor Zgurova for the professionalism, the speed of response, the kind attitude (handing over the results personally on a day off), and the subsequent follow-up of the case through communication. Thank you, Associate Professor Zgurova - even with just one meeting I could “feel” the person in you. Keep it.
Fourth visit with Professor Tonchev (11.02.2026)
After the FNAB a small, sensitive hematoma appeared. When I noticed it, I called Professor Tonchev. Very responsive, he said: "One patient canceled an appointment - come, let me see you".
As I later understood, this area is rich in blood vessels and their position and shape (like the facial nerve) are individual for each person. So a hematoma after FNAB in this area is quite likely - something normal. He assured me there was nothing to worry about. He asked to see me again after two days.
During this period I was still thinking whether to have surgery. I consulted with “my doctors,” who were categorical about the surgery. Even my neurologist told me: "The worst thing that can happen is that for some time you won’t be able to close your eye and smile symmetrically, but I promise you I will personally fix you." Everyone was “for it.” I thank them for all the advice and the cool-headed, pragmatic attitude. If it has to be done - it has to be done. Fear the bear - I don’t fear.
Fifth visit with Professor Tonchev (13.02.2026)
Hint: “My doctors” told me that if the integrity of the tumor is ruptured, the probability of recurrence is 50%, and if part of the tumor remains, it is higher. I’m from a generation I call “Limited edition.” We’ve seen the whole palette in life - from slingshots through the army to hyperinflation. Nothing but war can scare us. Besides, I’m happily married and aesthetics is the last thing I would think about.
Two more days later I visited Professor Tonchev again, who after a thorough examination said I was ready for surgery, the hematoma had gone down enough.
We talked long enough for me to get answers to all my questions.
Me: "Professor, what should I expect?"
Professor Tonchev: "Do you care about aesthetics? After the surgery you’ll have a small dent there."
Me: "I don’t care about aesthetics at all, what matters is that nothing is left. Will I be able to speak?"
Professor Tonchev: "No change in speech is expected."
Me: "Will my face droop?"
Professor Tonchev: "Even if it happens, the recovery period is from 2 weeks to 2 months, sometimes up to 6 months. There is no small or big operation. I have a four-digit number of such operations so far. I haven’t had a permanent paralysis, but you never know who might draw the short straw."
I thought: "Whoa - if I draw the short straw, how will I make him draw the “short straw” with a patient like me..." You know - under an emotional charge, imagination rules over reason. All kinds of scenes ran through my head...
Me: "Professor, I need information to prepare:
- Logistics: what is needed - clothes, water, supplies, medicines, etc.?
- How long will I be hospitalized (approximately)?
- Finances: how much, when, where? Card or cash?
- Can I take a laptop with me?
- Is there an option to stay in a single room?
- Admission: where and when?"
Professor Tonchev: "The only ‘supply’ that isn’t allowed in the ward is female. I don’t accept competition," making a shaving gesture. "Call Dr. Trendafilov for additional instructions."
The conversation was calm, friendly, I’d even say amusing. I quote only the important things from the conversation. I like his confidence. I was already sure he’s someone who knows what he’s doing. I like the self-irony and wit - for me these are signs of maturity and intellect.
Just to note something I think is important (because there are always “exceptionally gifted” people). For all my visits I paid only for an initial and a follow-up appointment (these two were initiated by me). For the other visits, when I asked "Professor, do I owe you anything?" the answer was "A smile." One time I even said I’d give him the smile after the surgery. To jump ahead... that’s exactly what happened (I could smile immediately after the surgery).
Conclusion
Would I have surgery again (God forbid) with Professor Tonchev?
Yes. Without hesitation.