Surgeries

A shoulder arthroscopy is a surgical procedure used to closely examine the structures of the shoulder to make a diagnosis. After making a few small incisions in the skin, the surgeon will insert...

Your spleen, located under your ribs on the left side, is part of your immune system, aiding in fighting off diseases and bacteria and filtering your blood. In some situations, the spleen presents...

After delivering a baby via C-section, it can be difficult to get your abdominal muscles back in shape. Most women must contend with a "bulge" after delivering a baby, but since a C-section...

A duodenal incision or laparotomy is an incision made in the abdominal wall to examine the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine. It can also refer to any incision made for the...

Doctors recommend a clear liquid diet before surgery if the procedure requires the patient to have an empty stomach or intestines. A clear liquid diet may also relieve extreme nausea or vomiting....

Many doctors and hospitals require patients to abstain from food and drink for a certain amount of time before surgery. The reasons for not being allowed to drink water prior to being operated on...

A colectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of your colon---that is, your large intestine. This is often performed to prevent damage to your colon by disease or other conditions.

While certain dietary restrictions need be taken after most surgical procedures, surgery directly on the large intestine necessitates a specialized diet to help your body and altered digestive...

The Nissen fundoplication wrap is a surgical procedure that wraps the top part of the stomach to form a one way valve between the esophagus and the remainder of the stomach. Nissen fundoplication...

A cervical herniated disc is a condition where a disc from your spine (near the neck) pinches your nerve and causes pain to travel down your arm. Though the cervical disc herniation usually occurs...

There are many types of surgical procedures done to repair spine damage. Certain procedures require more recovery time than others. Ultimately there are some basic post-operative procedures to...

Spine surgery is not always successful. Sometimes the procedure does not fully rid the patient of back pain, or additional surgeries are needed in the future. Before going under the knife for...

A spinal fusion corrects problems with vertebrae in the back by fusing bone together and eliminating motion (see Reference 1). The procedure has many risks to be balanced with potential benefits...

Colostomies are usually performed either after an injury or bowel resection and may be either permanent or temporary. This surgery takes the end of your large intestine and attaches it to an...

While they both are board-certified physicians with similar levels of education, gastroenterologists and general surgeons undergo different types of training, and you would see them for different...

Rejection of a newly transplanted liver is not uncommon and need not end in failure of the organ if treated promptly. It is natural for the body to reject an organ it recognizes as foreign, as is...

Robotic surgery has been making a lot of headway in recent years. There are now robotic systems capable of performing heart, gastrointestinal, gynecological, urological and orthopedic surgeries....

The fallopian tubes are part of the duct work connecting the different parts of the female reproductive system. They allow an ovulated oocyte, or egg, to travel from the ovaries to the uterus....

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common foot ailments. The pain associated with the condition is concentrated on the heel, due to the plantar fascia being inflamed, says the Mayo Clinic....

Stents are used to treat narrowed or weakened arteries. Common in angioplasty to help prevent blockages from occurring again, they can improve blood flow and prevent rupture if done correctly. The...

Abortion is an uncomfortable topic. Whether you are pro-choice, pro-life, or simply don't hold an opinion, chances are if someone brings it up in casual conversation you are going to feel inclined...

Gastric surgery is a serious matter. Doctors must be cautious and as well-informed as possible before proceeding with the surgery. Doctors will often run endocrinology related tests in advance.

The fallopian tubes are the ducts that carry eggs from a female's ovaries to her uterus. A salpingectomy is a surgical procedure during which one or both of the fallopian tubes are removed. This...

When you have BPH, or benign prostate hypertrophy, which is the enlargement of the prostate, it can sometimes squeeze the urethra until it becomes difficult for you to urinate. Many times it is...

Artery forceps are also referred to as a hemostat or hemostatic clamp. They are a slender, needle-nose clamp with a locking mechanism used commonly during surgical procedures to stop the flow of...

Because of its full fingertip control, surgery scissors provide a more stable cutting ability than scalpels and knives. The dual-edged pivot design is highly regarded for its durability and...

Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure in which a damaged or diseased spinal disc is replaced with a bone graft. According to the Northern California Neurosurgery Medical Group, two or more spinal...

Life after pancreas surgery requires some adjustments. Recovery can be difficult, and in some cases, major changes must be made. It is possible to regain a normal life after this surgery, with...

Spinal stenosis may be treated with non-surgical methods such as physical therapy. However, surgery may provide longer-term relief. Recovery from spinal stenosis surgery involves walking with a...

A vasectomy is a routine operation that involves two incisions to the vasa tubes on each side of the scrotum. The ends are then sealed and semen is fully prevented from entering. Even though the...

The spleen is located in the upper left quadrant of your abdomen. Your spleen is soft, round, purple in color, and about the size of your fist. This small organ aids in warding off infections by...

Once you have made a decision to have a vasectomy, you will most likely have the surgery done as an outpatient in a urologist’s office, or hospital outpatient clinic. Before the day of the...

Surgical procedures are traumatic events to the body, so some weight loss is expected. Even more weight loss is anticipated in the event of a surgical procedure on your digestive tract, such as...

Scientific advances have made the viability of robotic prostate surgery a reality. Robotic surgery to remove or reduce the prostate gland carries a number of advantages, including enhanced...

While the decision to obtain a colonectomy in the face of colon cancer is a foregone conclusion, you should still endeavor to learn as much as possible about the various risk factors associated...

Colectomy is a term used to describe surgical removal of part or all of the colon, which is the main component of the large intestine. The technique is also known as bowel resection. When...

Botulinum toxin, better known as Botox, is a purified neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Although it is best known for use in cosmetic procedures, it is also used...

Some people become uncomfortable when talking about being an organ donor. It is important to realize that being a post-mortem donor can have immense impact on the family of the deceased, as well...

There are many reasons to undergo a spinal fusion surgery. You might do so to treat a fractured vertebra or cervical disc herniation. Spinal fusion surgeries are used to correct spinal curves and...

Interscalene blocks are used as a surgical anesthetic technique for surgeries performed on the upper arm or shoulder. According to Massachusetts General Hospital, the interscalene block is both...

A woman's stomach can be distorted by pregnancy as there is a stretching of skin, abdominal wall muscles and fascia. With the spreading of the stomach muscles, a once smooth, flat abdomen can...

If a patient's thyroid gland is cancerous, enlarged or overactive, a doctor may choose to remove it or a portion of it. Thyroid surgery usually requires a day-long hospital stay and temporary...

Having to go endure J-pouch surgery can be a life changing event, as you will have to learn to cope with a variety of difficulties after surgery is complete. Understanding the possible...

There are risks with having thyroid surgery, just the same as there are with any other type of surgery. The risks to having thyroid surgery should be addressed before the decision is made to have...

Cancer treatment methodology varies depending on the particulars of each individual case, but the various options for treating cancer remain the same--chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. In...

Acid reflux is a fairly common condition that most people have experienced at least once during their lives. But, for an unfortunate minority, acid reflux is a regularly occurring condition that...

The prostate gland enlarges naturally with age, and in some cases it can grow to such an extent that it begins to interfere unduly with normally functions of life. In cases like these, prostate...

Spinal fusion surgery is performed to alleviate the pain caused by crushed nerves of the spine, herniated or degenerated intervertebral discs or other spinal problems. Recovery after spinal fusion...

Endometrial ablation is a medical procedure that utilizes a hysteroscope (a viewing instrument with a light source) and other surgical instruments to destroy your endometrium or lining of your...

If you have had surgery to amputate all or part of one of your legs, then chances are you now have a prosthesis to care for. Cleaning a leg prosthesis is a simple task, but it needs to be done...