General Surgery

Based on the hernia diagnosis and specific situation, either laparoscopic or open surgery is required to repair a hernia.

The contents of the hernia are pushed back into the abdomen and the defect in the abdomen wall, or weakness, is sewn closed. Sometimes a mesh is used to reinforce the repair. This type of surgery is done as an outpatient procedure and the patient may return home shortly after the surgery.

The contents of the hernia are returned to the abdomen and the hole or weakness is sewn closed. If adjacent tissue is also weak, a synthetic mesh can be sewn in to reinforce the repair. Most of these procedures are outpatient, but in some cases a short hospital stay may be required.

A physical examination can diagnose a hernia. Patients report the following symptoms: 

• Bulge in the groin, abdomen, or thigh, 
• Pain when lifting, 
• Pain during physical activity, 
• Pain while coughing or sneezing, 
• Feelings of weakness or pressure in the groin and 
• Discomfort when urinating

A lumpectomy or mastectomy may be used to remove the cancer, depending on the size of the lump and how far the cancer has spread. A lumpectomy only removes the lump while a mastectomy removes the entire breast. Additional treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy may be used to help destroy remaining cancer cells and reduce the risk of recurrence.

Removes the tumor and a margin (a small rim of normal breast tissue around the tumor). The breast remains intact. This is also called breast-conserving surgery.  

For small tumors, limited breast surgery has been shown to have similar outcomes to mastectomy when additional treatments such as radiation therapy are added.

A mastectomy is a more extensive surgery that involves the removal of the entire breast tissue, including the skin, and sometimes the nipple and areola. This type of surgery is often recommended when the tumor is large relative to the breast size or if there are multiple tumors within the breast. 

If you feel a change in your breast, it is best to see a doctor and have a mammogram. An ultrasound of the breast may also be used to determine if a lump is solid or filled with fluid. If needed a biopsy of the lump is performed.

• Non-Surgical Biopsy: fine needle aspiration, ultrasound-guided, and stereotactic biopsies are all performed without anesthesia. A sample of the lump is removed and tested to determine if the lump is benign or cancerous.
• Surgical Biopsy: a surgical biopsy allows a larger sample to be obtained. This may require wire localization. A small, thin wire is placed in the breast to mark the tissue that is to be removed. In the operating room the wire and the lump is removed and the mass is tested.

Our expert team of general surgeons, nurses, and staff specializes in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of foregut conditions, which affect:

• esophagas
• stomach
• upper small inestines (duodenum and jejunum)

We offer both conventional and minimally invasive foregut procedures, using the latest technology to reduce recovery time, minimize scarring, and improve outcomes.

Every treatment plan is personalized to the patient’s specific symptoms and needs. If you're considering surgery for a foregut condition, our skilled surgeons are here to provide compassionate, comprehensive care tailored to each patient.

The colon is removed during surgery and the intestine is sewn back together. The procedure generally requires a short hospital stay of about five days.

Colectomy is a surgical procedure to remove all or part of your colon. Your colon, part of your large intestine, is a long tubelike organ at the end of your digestive tract. Colectomy may be necessary to treat or prevent diseases and conditions that affect your colon.⁶

Hemicolectomy is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of a portion of the colon, either the left or right side, to treat various conditions such as colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or diverticulitis. The remaining healthy sections of the colon are then reconnected to restore bowel function.⁷

Colon health can be assessed using various diagnostic tools, including colonoscopy to visually inspect the colon and collect tissue samples, biopsies to analyze suspicious tissue for cancer, and blood tests to evaluate overall health and monitor tumor markers like CEA.⁸

Small aneurysms can be safely observed. Larger aneurysms may require open or endovascular surgery, depending on the size and shape of an individual’s blood vessels.

An incision is made in the abdomen. An artificial graft is inserted inside the damaged artery. Recovery time is longer (5-8 days in the hospital) than endovascular repairs, but for many patients it is the only option to treat an AAA.

Two small incisions are made in the groin and the artificial graft is inserted into the artery. This procedure is less invasive than open surgery and recovery time is shorter with patients usually going home 1-2 days after surgery.

Usually there are no symptoms and an aneurysm is often found during a routine exam for an unrelated problem. Anyone is at risk to develop an abdominal aortic aneurysm, however, individuals that smoke, have high blood pressure, are over 55(men) or 65(women), or have a close relative with an AAA is at greater risk.

Routine examinations, ultrasounds of the abdomen, and an abdominal CT scan can help diagnosis an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

While the best way to manage Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) is by reducing your risk factors and preventing its development, medication may be used in some cases—under your doctor’s supervision—to help relieve claudication (pain when walking).

For more advanced stages of PVD, bypass surgery is often the primary treatment option. There are two main types of bypass procedures:

The blocked artery is bypassed via the popliteal artery in the upper part of the leg using either an artificial graft or you own vein.

The blocked artery is bypassed via the popliteal artery in the upper part of the leg using either an artificial graft or you own vein.

Endovascular surgery is a less invasive procedure using balloons and stents that does not require anesthesia. It aids in wound healing and pain with claudication. This surgery may be used in less severe cases of PVD.

Peripheral Vascular Disease can be diagnosed using several different tests, including the ultrasound Doppler test, ankle brachial index (ABI), and angiograms. Patient reported symptoms include: 

• Claudication (cramping pain in the buttocks, thigh, or calf when exercising and relieved when resting)
• rest pain (constant pain in the foot due to restriction of blood flow)
• nonhealing ulcers on the foot or toes
• gangrene

Risk factors include smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and family history of PVD

There are two ways to treat carotid artery stenosis, by carotid endarterectomy or by carotid artery angioplasty and stenting. Your surgeon will decide the best treatment options based on the patient's diagnostic results.

This is an open surgery used to remove plaque from the artery. It is very effective and most patients return home within 24 hours of the operation.

This less invasive procedure is used to improve the blood flow through the carotid artery. A balloon is used to expand the narrowed artery and then a stent is placed in the artery. The stent is left in place to hold the artery open, and therefore allow normal blood flow to the carotid artery.

Carotid bruits are sounds that are heard by using a stethoscope on the neck that can indicate a build up of plaque in the artery. A carotid duplex scan can detect the degree of stenosis. An MRA is often used to confirm the diagnosis. It is a non invasive test that uses magnetic resonance imagining.

In addition a contrast angiogram is used as a diagnostic procedure and prior to carotid angioplasty and stenting. It requires a catheter in the groin to inject dye into the artery. Then x-rays are obtained to identify where and to what degree the artery is blocked by plaque, allowing the surgeon to select the most suitable treatment option for the patient.