Procedure Descriptions
Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)
ACL Reconstruction
Arthroscopic Surgery
Bone Spur Surgery
Breast Biopsy
Breast Reduction
Bunionectomy
Colonoscopy
EGD
Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Surgery
Hammertoe Repair
Hernia Repair
Hysteroscopy
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Laparoscopy
Laser Removal of Lesions
LEEP
Liver Biopsy
Neuroma Surgery
Pain Management Injection
Paracentesis
Rotator Cuff Repair
Tubal Ligation
For those patients who require the most correction, the abdomen is cut from hipbone to hipbone. The incision will be made low, at about the same level as your pubic hair. Your surgeon will then manipulate and contour the skin, tissue and muscle as needed. Your belly button will have a new opening if you undergo this procedure, because it's necessary to free your navel from surrounding tissue. Drainage tubes may be placed under your skin, and these will be removed in a few days as your surgeon sees fit.
For patients whose fat deposits are located below the navel and require shorter incisions, the belly button most likely will not be moved. Your skin will be separated between the line of incision and your belly button. This type of surgery may also be performed with an endoscope, a small camera on the end of a tube.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction
ACL Reconstruction in Spanish
ACL Reconstruction is surgery to replace the torn ligament with an autograft (tissue from the patient's own body) or an allograft (tissue from a cadaver). The most common autografts use part of the patellar tendon (the tendon in the front of the knee) or use the hamstring tendons. Each type of graft has small advantages and disadvantages, and work well for many people.
The procedure is usually performed by knee arthroscopy. The surgeon will replace the ACL. Additional small incisions are made around the knee to place the new ligament. The old ligament will be removed using a shaver or other instruments. Bone tunnels will be made to place the new ligament in the knee at the site of the old ACL. If the patient's own tissue is to be used for the new ligament, a larger, "open" incision will be made to take the tissue. The new ligament is then fixed to the bone using screws or other devices to hold the ligament in place.
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Arthroscopic Surgery is used to diagnose and treat many joint problems. This significant advance in joint care allows for rapid return to improved activity. Most commonly used in knees, shoulders and ankles, the arthroscope can also be sued for spine, hip, wrists and elbows.
Step 1 - Two small incisions are made around the join area. Surgical instruments will be positioned in these incisions.
Step 2 - A tube-like needle is inserted in one incision. Fluid is pumped through the tube and into the joint. This expands the joint, giving the surgeon a clear view and room to work. The tube will also be used as drainage needle to regulate the amount of fluid in the joint during the procedure.
Step 3 - Through another incision, the surgeon insets the arthroscope. This instrument has a light and a small video camera that send images to a TV monitor in the operating room.
Step 4 - With the video images from the arthroscope as a guide, the surgeon can look for damaged tissue. If the surgeon sees an opportunity to treat a problem, a variety of small surgical instruments can be inserted through the third small incision.
Step 5 - The surgeon may close the incisions with stitches or tape. Recovery from arthroscopy is faster than recovery from traditional open joint surgery.
Bone Spur Surgery involves the surgical removal or fusion of a piece of bone at a joint, most commonly from the spine, shoulders, hands, hips, knees, and feet. The two most common surgical procedures are called a Chilectomy (pronounced "K-eye-leck-toe-me") or an Arthrodesis (fusion).
The Chilectomy is a procedure done to remove the bone spurs. This often helps if the spurs are causing a block to the joint motion. However, if the joint cartilage is all worn off, a Chilectomy may not help the pain. The Arthrodesis, or fusion, is an excellent procedure at eliminating much of the pain, but it will cause the toe to be stiff at its base.
In a needle biopsy, a needle is inserted into the lump. Fluid and tissue samples are taken for pathological studies. There is no incision in this procedure.
In an open biopsy, the lump is removed through an incision. Some surrounding tissue may also be removed. The tissue sample will then be examined by a pathologist. Local or general anesthesia is used for this procedure.
In a stereotactic biopsy, a patient lies in the prone position with one breast passing through a hole in the table. After mammographic images of the breast have been taken to localize the area to be biopsied, the skin is anaesthetized with a local anesthetic. A small nick is made in the skin to allow for passage of a needle into the breast. Several core biopsies are then taken. After a bandage has been applied to the wound, the patient is free to drive themselves home if they so desire since the procedure requires only a local anesthetic.
Breast reduction surgery, also called Reduction Mammaplasty, removes excess breast fat, glandular tissue and skin to achieve a breast size in proportion with your body and to alleviate the discomfort associated with overly large breasts.
In some cases, excess fat may be removed through liposuction in conjunction with the excision techniques described below. If breast size is largely due to fatty tissue and excess skin is not a factor, liposuction alone may be used for breast reduction.
The technique used to reduce the size of your breasts will be determined by your individual condition, breast composition, amount of reduction desired, your personal preferences and the surgeon's advice.
A bunion is a painful deformity of the bones and joint between the foot and the big toe. Long-term irritation caused by poorly fitting and/or high-heeled shoes, arthritis, or heredity causes the joint to thicken and enlarge. This causes the big toe to angle in toward and over the second toe, the foot bone (metatarsal) to angle out toward the other foot, and the skin to thicken
Surgical removal of a bunion is usually done while the patient is under general anesthesia and rarely requires a hospital stay. An incision is made along the bones of the big toe into the foot. The deformed joint and bones are repaired, and the bones are stabilized with a pin and/or cast.
A Colonoscopy enables the physician to look inside a patient's entire large intestine. This procedure is used to look for early signs of cancer in the colon and rectum, as well, as diagnose the causes of unexplained bowel habits.
Before the procedure, the patient is usually given a mild sedative. While the patient lies on their left side, the physician will inset a long, flexible, lighted tube into the patient's rectum and slowly guide it into the colon. The tube, called a colonoscope, transmits an image of inside the colon and can inflate the colon with air to help the physician see clearly.
The physician can remove all or part of an abnormality using tiny instruments passed through the scope. If there is bleeding, the physician can pass an instrument through the scope to stop the bleeding or inject medicine.
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) or Upper Endoscopy is an examination of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. During this procedure, a thin flexible tube, containing a light source and camera, is placed down the patient's throat. The physician is able to examine the patient's upper GI tract from the video output of the camera. Before the EGD procedure, an anesthetic spray is used to numb the back of the throat, and sedation is given for the 15-minute exam.
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Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Surgery
Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Surgery involves a small incision over the palm of the hand through which a surgeon will insert a small tube with a light and camera. Using that tool they will cut the transverse carpal ligament to releases pressure on the median nerve,
Some surgeons will remove tissue surrounding the nerve, especially if the tissue is swollen or irritated (as is often found in arthritis patients). The surgeon will then usually close the skin and subcutaneous tissues over only the carpal ligament, leaving the carpal tunnel uncovered. Other surgeons reattach the carpal ligament after lengthening it.
Hammertoe is a bending of one or both joints of a toe. This deformity can put excessive pressure on the toe resulting in pain and discomfort.
Arthroplasty is the most common surgical procedure to correct hammertoe. In this procedure, the surgeon straightens the toe by removing a small section of the bone from the affected joint.
Arthrodesis is another surgical procedure to correct hammertoe and is usually reserved for the more advanced cases. In this procedure, the surgeon fuses a small joint in the toe to straighten it. A pin is typically used to hold the toe in position while the bone is healing.
Other procedures may be necessary in more severe cases, including skin wedging (the removal of wedges of skin), tendon/muscle rebalancing or lengthening, small tendon transfers, or relocation of surrounding joints.
A hernia develops when the outer layers of the abdominal wall weaken (or have a defect), bulge, and tear. The hole in this outer layer allows the inner lining of the abdomen to protrude and form a sac.
Laparoscopic Hernia Surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia. A telescope is attached to a camera is placed through a small opening under the belly button. Two more small cuts are made in the lower abdomen. The hernia defect is covered with a mesh and secured with stitches, staples, titanium tacks, or tissue glue.
Open Repair Surgery is the more traditional approach to Hernia treatment. Although there are many approaches, in a typical surgery, the protruding tissue is returned to the abdominal cavity and the sac that has been formed is removed. The surgeon repairs the hole in the abdominal wall by sewing strong surrounding muscle over the defect. Mesh may be used in place of sewing.
A hysteroscopy is an examination of the inside of the uterus using a fiber optic telescope which is inserted through the vagina and cervical canal. A hysteroscopy helps determine the presence of fibroids, polyps, scars or other abnormalities within the uterus.
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is the surgical removal of the gallbladder, a small, pear-shaped organ that lies on the underside of the liver, in the upper right portion of the abdomen.
The surgeon creates four very small incisions and will insert a special instrument called the laparoscope through one of the incisions. A laparoscope is a long, rigid tube that is attached to a tiny video camera and a light. Once the laparoscope has been inserted, the surgeon then guides the laparoscope while watching the view it provides on a video monitor.
The surgeon will use an electrocautery device to cut free the gallbladder. Once the gallbladder has been cut free, the surgeon collapses the organ and removes it through the incision at the navel.
A Laparoscopy is a procedure to view abdominal organs or female reproductive organs. A laparoscope, a thin viewing tube similar to a telescope, is passed through a small incision (cut) in the abdomen. Using the laparoscope, the doctor can look directly at the outside of the abdominal organs or the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes.
Laser Removal of Lesions
Laser removal or surgery uses a laser light source to remove diseased tissues or treat bleeding blood vessels. A laser is a light beam that can be precisely focused. It is used to treat tissues by heating the targeted cells until they "burst".
There are several types of lasers, including the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, the YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) laser, and the pulsed dye laser. Each laser has specific uses. The color of the laser (light beam) used is directly related to the type of surgery being performed and the color of the tissue being treated.
LEEP
The loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) uses a thin, low-voltage electrified wire loop to remove genital warts by heating the margin of the area to be removed, separating the wart from the skin. This procedure requires local anesthesia. LEEP may be used to treat large, external warts and warts on the cervix.
Liver Biopsy
A liver biopsy is performed using a long needle inserted between two of the right lower ribs to remove a sample of liver tissue. The tissue sample is sent to a laboratory and looked at under a microscope to see if there are any liver problems.
A liver biopsy may be done when liver blood tests are abnormal. It may be done when an X-ray, an ultrasound, or a computed tomography (CT) scan shows a problem with the liver. A liver biopsy can also be done to find the cause of jaundice or to check on cirrhosis, hepatitis, or liver cancer.
A neuroma is an abnormality of a nerve that has been damaged either by trauma or as a result of an abnormality of foot function. The most common location of neuromas is in the ball of the foot. In this area the nerve can become pinched and inflamed by the abnormal movement of the bones in the ball of the foot.
The surgical removal of forefoot neuromas is performed using a local anesthesia. Following administration of anesthesia, a skin incision is made on the top of the foot in the location of the neuroma. After the nerve is identified it is cut and removed.
The most common type of pain management procedure is an Epidural Steroid Injection or Spinal Epidural Injection. Prior to an epidural steroid injection, the patient's skin is cleaned with a sterilizing solution and a sterile drape is placed over the skin. Local anesthesia is injected into the skin to provide numbness at the injection site. The steroid injection consists of a local anesthetic and/or steroids. A small bandage may be placed over the injection site.
Paracentesis is a procedure to take out fluid that has collected in the belly (peritoneal fluid). This fluid buildup is called ascites. Ascites may be caused by infection, inflammation, an injury, or other conditions, such as cirrhosis or cancer.
The fluid is taken out using a long, thin needle put through the belly. The fluid is sent to a lab and studied to find the cause of the fluid buildup. Paracentesis also may be done to take the fluid out to relieve belly pressure or pain in people with cancer or cirrhosis.
Rotator Cuff Repair is an arthroscopic procedure, in which the surgeon places an arthroscope in the space above the rotator cuff tendons. The surgeon can evaluate the area above the rotator cuff, clean out inflamed or damaged tissue, and remove a bone spur.
If a tear is going to be fixed, the surgeon may perform the surgery with a larger, open incision, while other surgeons use the arthroscope and 1-3 additional small smaller incisions. The goal is to attach the tendon back to the bone where it tore off. The tendon is attached with sutures. Small rivets (called suture anchors) are often used to help attach the tendon to the bone. The suture anchors can be made of metal or plastic, and do not need to be removed.
Tubal ligation, often referred to as "having your tubes tied," is a surgical procedure in which a woman's fallopian tubes are blocked, tied, or cut. Tubal implants are small metal springs that are placed in each fallopian tube in a nonsurgical procedure (no cutting is involved). Over time, scar tissue grows around each implant and permanently blocks the tubes. Either procedure stops eggs from traveling from the ovaries into the fallopian tubes, where the egg is normally fertilized by a sperm.