Patient Education
Gallbladder: Symptoms of gallbladder problems are severe pain or aching in the upper abdomen, which may come and go or it can remain constant. A dull ache beneath the ribs or breastbone, back pain or pain in the right shoulder blade. Nausea, upset stomach, heartburn or vomiting are also symptoms. The best way to remove the stones and prevent new ones from forming is to remove the gallbladder through surgery known as laparoscopy. Traditionally the surgery is carried out through an incision in the right side of the upper abdomen. More recently the surgery has been carried out through a laparoscope employing 3 or 4 small incisions.
Appendectomy: Symptoms of appendicitis is belly pain, usually near the belly button, moving to the lower right side of the belly. The pain may get worse if you move, walk or cough. You may feel nauseas or have fever. The appendix is a small finger-like projection that comes off the cecum of the large intestine and has no apparent function in the human. Surgery is the only treatment, as the appendix can cause serious problems.
Reflux Surgery: Chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD or heartburn) can lead to stricture or even cancer, The symptoms you may feel are belching, chronic sore throat, difficulty or pain when swallowing, hoarseness, sour taste in the mouth, bad breath, inflammation of the gums or erosion of tooth enamel. Your doctor will do a complete physical examination and usually given a trial run of GERD medications. Surgery may be recommended known as nissen fundoplication.
Hemorroidectomies: Hemorrhoids are natural and everyone has them. Hemorrhoids are cushions of tissue that swell gently to aid in the process of elimination. You'll begin to notice hemorrhoids only when they swell too much. The vast majority of symptomatic hemorrhoids can be treated using nonsurgical means. These can range from simple dietary supplements and lifestyle changes. Surgical hemorrhoidectomy is sometimes required for high grade hemorrhoids, or hemorrhoids that do not respond to conservative measures. Only your surgeon can determine which method is right for you.
Inguinal Hernia: A hernia will not heal on its own. Surgery is the only option. A hernia is a weakness or a tear in the wall of the abdomen, which are more common in men, but they may occur in either gender. The two types are indirect inguinal hernia and direct inguinal hernia. These types of hernias can often be repaired using laparsocopy.
Umbilical Hernia: These occur in the umbilicus (belly button) and occur most often in infants. Although often appearing at birth, these hernias can also occur at any time during life. They increase in size and often become problematic. Umbilical hernias may be treated using a traditional repair.
Incisional or Ventral Hernia: May occur at the site of a previous surgical incision. These occur as a bulge or protrusion in the area of the prior scar and may develop soon after the original surgery, or years after the surgery. They gradually increase in size and become progressively symptomatic. They can also become strangulated and cause serious complications.
Thyroid: Your thyroid glands are located just below your Adam's apple. The thyroid controls your energy levels and may be underactive, not working hard enough or overactive, working too hard. Symptoms of an underactive thyroid are feeling sluggish and tired, getting cold easily or gaining weight more easily. Symptoms of an overactive thyroid are getting hot easily, feeling wired and jittery, but also burned out and tired, and losing weight without dieting.
Pancreas: The pancreas, an organ in the upper abdomen located beneath the stomach, is composed of glands that are responsible for a wide variety of tasks. Some pancreatic symptoms include loss of appetite, bloating, diarrhea or fatty bowel movements that float in water or jaundice. Symptoms are usually vague and can usually be attributed to other less serious and more common conditions. Further evaluation should be pursued if the above symptoms persists.
Colectomy for Polyps: Most polyps can be removed using the endoscope; however, occasional polyps are too large to be safely removed using the endoscopic techniques. In these cases, a partial surgical removal of affected portion of the colon is required.
Endoscopic Procedures: A variety of techniques are used. In rigid proctosigmoidoscopy, a short tubular instrument with a handle is used to inspect the anus and adjacent rectum. In flexible sigmoidoscopy, a lighted tube is used to to view the sigmoid colon and remove tissue samples. These techniques can both be performed in the office without sedation. However, they can only be used to evaluate a portion of the colon. If the whole colon needs to be examined, then a colonoscopy can be performed as an outpatient procedure under sedation.
Diverticulitis: Diverticulits occurs when pouches form in the wall of the colon and get inflamed or infected. Symptoms include belly pain, fever, chills, bloating and gas, diarrhea or constipation, nausea and sometimes vomiting. Most patients with diverticular disease can be managed using nonsurgical means, such as a clear liquid diet or an antibiotic. However, patients with recurrent of diverticulitis, or complications of diverticulitis will occasionally require operation.
Fistula Repair: Symptoms may include pain, swelling and tenderness of both anal and fistulas. Fluid and pus from the abscess may drain, causing irritation and itching in the skin around the anus. Surgeries range from simple fistulotomy, or laying open of the fistula tract, all the way to complex flap mobilizations to cover the openings. Which technique is used depends on the complexity of the fistula, an its relationship to the sphincter muscles.
Fissure Disease: A fissure is a tear in the tissue around the anus. These tears usually develop when anal tissue is damaged during a hard bowel movement or when higher-than-normal tension develops in the anal sphincters. Symptoms include sharp stinging or burning pain during a bowel movement and may last a few hours. Many of these will heal on their own, or with a simple regimen of fiber, sitz bath, and topical steroids. In patients whose fissures fail to heal using the conservative measures, an operation may be required.
Pilonidal Cyst: Pilonidal cysts are cysts that occur at the the bottom of the tailbone that can become infected. Pilonidal cysts usually become a problem when they become infected. Once infected, the technical term is pilonidal abscess. Once the pilonidal has become problematic, the only treatment is surgical.
Breast Lumps: Most breast lumps are harmless (benign). After a lump is found, your doctor may suggest having certain tests such as a mammogram or a breast ultrasound. Your doctor may choose to biopsy the lump, known as a needle aspiration. This test us used for lumps that can be felt. Fluid is drained and sent to the lab for testing. Another test such as the core needle biopsy may be recommended, which is often used to remove tissue from lumps that cannot be felt. This procedure is done under a local anesthetic. Tissue samples will be removed and sent to the lab as well for testing. Your doctor may choose a surgical biopsy, which allows a large sample of tissue to be removed or often the whole lump. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis. The lump or tissue sample is also sent to the lab for testing.