Conditions we treat
Gallbladder: If you are experiencing pain in the right upper quadrant, that radiates to your back, and is worse with eating, especially fatty foods, you may have a gallbladder issue. The gallbladder sits on the under surface of the liver on the right side of the body and stores extra bile which helps digest fats. When you eat, the gallbladder squeezes to release extra bile to digest your meal, and if there is gallbladder dysfunction or gallstones present you may experience pain. If a gallstone gets lodged at the exit of the gallbladder this can cause severe unrelenting pain and may require emergency surgery. Your surgeon will check a gallbladder ultrasound for gallstones and/or a special imaging study called a HIDA scan to check for gallbladder dysfunction (dyskinesia). We will also check labs to make sure your liver function tests and pancreas look ok. Sometimes a gallstone can leave the gallbladder and get stuck in the main bile duct which might require an endoscopic procedure called and ERCP to remove the stones from the duct. Routine gallbladder surgery can usually be done as an outpatient without the need for an inpatient stay. The surgery is almost always completed laparoscopic or robotic with small incisions. Typical recovery is back to normal activities in 2-3 weeks.
Inguinal (Groin) Hernia: If you are noticing a bulge down in your right or left groin that pops out more when you strain, you likely have an inguinal (groin) hernia. As long as you can push the hernia back in, it is not an emergency, however if you cannot reduce it, and you have severe pain, redness, vomiting, you should report to the ER asap. Otherwise, we can see you to evaluate the hernia in clinic. Inguinal hernias should be repaired if they are large, or they are causing pain/discomfort with everyday activities. If they are small and not bothersome, they can be observed. These are typically fixed laparoscopic or robotic with small incisions but might need to be fixed open if very large or recurrent from previous laparoscopic repair. Mesh is most always used for these repairs. Routine inguinal hernia surgery can usually be done as an outpatient without the need for an inpatient stay. Typical recovery is back to light activities in 2-3 weeks, and then full activity in 4-6 weeks.
Ventral Abdominal Wall Hernia: If you are noticing a bulge on your anterior abdominal wall that protrudes out more when you strain, you likely have a ventral hernia. The most common ventral hernia is a belly button or umbilical hernia. However, you can also get hernias from previous surgery incisions where the abdominal wall fascia did not heal. These can be small or can sometimes get very large. More often than not we would typically recommend repair of ventral hernias to avoid the risk of bowel or omentum (abdominal fat) getting stuck in the hernia and necessitating an emergency surgery. When ventral hernias are very small they can sometimes be repaired open with a small incision over top of the hernia, but as they become larger they typically are repaired laparoscopic or robotic. Repair almost always requires mesh to avoid hernia recurrence. Mesh is typically very safe. If the ventral hernia is very large it might require open repair and separation of the abdominal wall layers to bring the tissue back together in the midline. Routine small ventral hernia surgery can usually be done as an outpatient without the need for an inpatient stay, but if the hernia is larger, it might require an overnight stay in the hospital for pain control. Typical recovery is back to light activities in 2-3 weeks, and then full activity after at least 6 weeks.
Colon Resection: The colon is a 6-foot-long upside down U shaped organ that is responsible for water absorption and is the final stage in the digestive process before you expel stool. A portion of the colon might need to be removed for a number of reasons to include diverticulitis, colon cancer, large colon polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, or volvulus (twisting). When done electively, most of the time the colon can be put back together at the time of surgery without the need for a colostomy or ileostomy, however that is always a possibility during the surgery. Our surgeons will also consider and perform colostomy reversal if/when indicated. Most colon resections can typically be performed laparoscopic or robotic, but sometimes might require a bigger open incision. Most of the time these operations require at least a 1-2 night inpatient stay. Typical recovery is back to light activities in 2-3 weeks, and then full activity around 6 weeks.
Appendectomy: Removal of the appendix is typically done as an emergency case from the ER, but occasionally we will see patients referred to the office with chronic pain the right lower quadrant and an appendicolith (stool ball) stuck in the appendix, or even a small mass seen incidentally on a CT scan performed for a different reason. These cases are typically done laparoscopic and are usually done as an outpatient. Typical recovery is back to normal activities in 2-3 weeks.