Surgeries

PE tubes help to open up the ear tubes in infants, allowing fluid to drain instead of building up and causing infections in the ear. To help prevent a postoperative infection, many surgeons...

Hip nailing, also referred to as hip pinning, is a surgical procedure done to stabilize a hip joint fracture. Depending on the type and extent of the fracture, a surgeon uses plates and pins or...

Anytime you have surgery, there is a recovery period afterward. Understanding the surgical procedure and what to expect in the days and weeks that follow will assist in the speed of healing.

C5 back surgery attempts to resolve a herniated disc, a disc bulge, or tumor located in the spine (between cervical vertebrae 4-5-6), just above the area where the neck attaches to the shoulders.

If conditions exist that require more intensive treatment for cervical erosion than antibiotics or antiviral medications, laser treatment benefits exceed those of cauterization. And for those...

A gallstone is a minute crystalline particle that can form in your gallbladder. It can grow larger over time, moving around in your gallbladder and blocking certain ducts that prevent your...

Penile enlargement surgery (or phalloplasty) is a procedure to enhance the size of the penis in length, width or both. Surgery is the only permanent option for penis enlargement. According to the...

Although many foot problems can be corrected through nonsurgical methods, other problems will require surgery. Foot surgery is often necessary for bunions, flatfoot condition, severe arthritis,...

The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, is responsible for producing hormones that regulate the metabolism. Disorders or cancer may necessitate its partial or complete removal. This...

After back surgery, you should refrain from activities that can strain your back for at least six weeks. Be mindful of your surgical dressings and ensure that the pain medication you are taking...

The predominant cause of aortic aneurysm is hardening of the arteries, arteriosclerosis. Other contributors are genetics and rare hereditary diseases such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Marfan's...

Heart ablation, or cardiac ablation, is a surgical procedure that is used to correct abnormal heart rhythms. Catheter tubes are used to correct structural heart problems that prevent normal heart...

Each of your fingers has two flexor tendons. Your thumb has one flexor tendon. These tendons are located along the palm side of your finger and are close to the surface of your skin. Flexor...

Colon surgery is performed to treat cancer and conditions which affect your colon. Resection surgery removes part or the entire colon. After the surgery, your priority must be your full recovery...

Lumbar fusion is a type of back surgery that may be performed to correct scoliosis, degenerative disc disease and other conditions affecting the spine. During a lumbar fusion, two or more...

Liposuction is no longer being considered a procedure to improve one's appearance. Recent studies and clinical trials have concluded that liposuction does in fact have health benefits associated...

Patients scheduled for surgery are advised to quit smoking, at least temporarily. The negative effects of cigarette smoke can impact a patient's ability to handle anesthesia, and increase the risk...

Ultrasound, or ultrasonography, is an imaging technique frequently employed in medicine that uses the echoes of high frequency sound waves emitted from a transducer to produce an image of the...

According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC), diverticulitis affects about 10 percent of Americans over the age of 40, and Blue Shield of California says less...

Blood clots are one of the most common complications associated with surgery. Although they are a normal part of the body's healing process, blood clots can become extremely dangerous in certain...

The liver is one of the most vital organs in the human body. It is susceptible to a number of serious conditions, any of which could lead to a liver transplant. There are several components that...

Robotic-assisted surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that is considered more precise than traditional surgery. Surgeons have employed this method for myomectomies, or the removal of uterine...

An incentive spirometer is a hand-held, portable medical device comprised of a breathing tube with a mouthpiece that is attached to an air chamber, with an indicator inside the device. It allows...

A vitrectomy is a surgery performed on the eye to remove some or all of the vitreous, the clear internal jelly, from the eye.

Reverse Shoulder Replacement is a surgical procedure in which the shoulder joint is replaced with a prosthetic system that reverses the natural configuration to add stability and allow the deltoid...

Axial LIF, or Lumbar Inter-body Fusion, surgery is a procedure that fuses the lumbar of the back together. Axial LIF is less invasive than traditional fusion procedures and has a shorter recovery...

The gall bladder is a tiny sac that holds bile secreted from the liver. It releases bile into the small intestines after a meal to metabolize the fat. It's quite possible to live an unaltered life...

Kyphoplasty is surgical procedure used to restore the shape and height of a collapsed vertebra. The minimally invasive procedure is often used to treat veterbral compression fractures (VCF) that...

Lower back pain is one of the most common, yet most debilitating pains known to man. If you whether you have acute or chronic lower back pain, there is still much that can be done to help you feel...

The medical term for having your gallbladder removed is cholecystectomy. This surgery is sometimes necessary if you experience pain from gallstones. Your gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that...

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 14 percent of all new visits to primary care physicians are the result of lower back pain. The CDC also states that 2.4 million adults in the United...

According to the American Cancer Society, a colostomy is a procedure whereby a portion of the digestive tract is bypassed, and an artificial hole is created in the abdominal wall through which...

While medical science has brought us to the point where an entire human heart can be successfully replaced, the doctors and attending surgeons can do little more to help once the operation is...

When dealing with diverticulitis, you will need to speak with a doctor who specializes in conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. This doctor will treat your diverticulitis symptoms and perform...

Elbow replacement surgery involves replacing the elbow bone with a metal joint. The replacement joint provides the same range of movement as a natural elbow and can provide relief from chronic...

An excisional breast biopsy is performed when an unknown lump or mass is discovered during a routine breast exam. The doctor removes the mass for testing to determine if it is benign or cancerous....

A skin graft is the surgical procedure that involves removing healthy skin to cover missing or damaged skin that is burned or contains a wound that is non-healing. A skin graft procedure for a...

A C-section (cesarean section) is a major abdominal surgery. How you treat yourself after this procedure will determine how quickly you recover and can return to normal life. There are many things...

Diabetics are prone to many health complications. Diabetes is associated with poor blood circulation, as well as nerve damage. These can cause numbness, particularly in the extremities. This nerve...

According to the American Pain Foundation, there are more than 76.5 million Americans who suffer from chronic pain. Methods of management vary greatly, ranging from mild pain intervention to...

You have been through the gallbladder attacks and they were bad enough that you were relieved when your doctor recommended surgery; however, as the day for surgery draws near, you become nervous....

Recovering from cervical spine surgery involves infection prevention, basic exercises and, most importantly, spine protection. Of the many types of cervical spine surgery, a spinal fusion is more...

There are legitimate reasons to be nervous about back surgery, but it's important to weigh those risks against the relief you may get from the procedure. It's normal to feel jittery before any...

Doctors in the U.S. have performed total shoulder replacement surgery since the 1950s. Reverse total shoulder replacement surgery was developed in Europe in the 1980s and approved by the Food and...

Bladder control after a prostatectomy is a serious concern. Most men will face some bladder control problems in the weeks after a prostate removal, but some men face the problem long after their...

Omega-3 oils, which are available in plants and fish and as supplements, are fatty acids (molecules found in plants, animals and cell membranes). They reduce cholesterol and help to reduce the...

Priming for cervical spine surgery goes beyond just mentally and physically preparing yourself. Of course you need be in good physical condition before you can have your surgery, but you will also...

Posterior cervical spinal fusion is a surgical technique used to treat injury or degeneration in the bones (vertebrae) of the neck that cannot be addressed through more conservative methods. It...

Lower-back injuries are somewhat common. They can occur in an athletic event, an automobile accident or a household fall or through aging. When a lumbar disc is injured, a surgery called a...

Robotic surgery, first performed in 1987, is surgery performed with the use of some type of robotic instrument. Robotic assistance allows surgeons to manipulate the instrument while watching on a...