Physicians treat stomach ulcers medically but occasionally complications can arise that require surgical intervention. The mainstays of surgical treatment are vagotomy, pyloroplasty and antrectomy. Like all surgeries, these come with the risk of...
Surgery is one of the main treatments for cancer and can be used as a preventive measure, or for diagnosis, staging, primary treatment or to alleviate symptoms or side effects, according to the Mayo Clinic. Like most other medical procedures,...
Photorefractive keratectomy, or PRK, is the use of a special type of ultraviolet energy to smooth and shape the cornea. By properly shaping the cornea, PRK allows for the correction of vision and can drastically improve a patient's quality of...
If a woman has certain reproductive system problems, such as uterine fibroids, uterine prolapse or endometriosis, a doctor may recommend hysterectomy surgery to resolve uncomfortable symptoms associated with these medical conditions, the Centers...
Lap-Band surgery is a procedure designed to speed weight loss for people who are morbidly obese. In the procedure, a flexible band is placed around the top portion of the stomach, preventing overeating and promoting weight loss. Lap-Band surgery...
Patients who suffer from chronic sinus infections may benefit from sinus surgery. During this procedure, a surgeon removes blockages or excess tissue within the sinuses, making it easier for mucus to drain from the sinuses. Patients should discuss...
Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgery used to address a number of internal ills. According to Patient UK, laparoscopic surgeries are performed to get a closer look at internal organs, for biopsies, to treat endometriosis, to manage...
Improved dental surgery techniques do not completely prevent the normal health risks that accompany all surgeries. Swelling needs to be controlled with cold packs, and any bleeding managed. It is common for the surgical site to sustain trauma...
Septoplasty, also known as nose alteration surgery, is a medical procedure used to realign a deviated septum. The septum is a thin layer of tissue located between the nostrils. Your surgeon may make numerous incisions and remove certain tissues to...
A cholecystectomy is the surgical procedure that involves removal of the gallbladder, and over half a million people a year have this procedure. The gallbladder collects bile, which is a fluid produced by the liver that aids in digestion....
Anytime surgery is performed on the body, side effects and complications can be expected afterward. Cataract surgery is no different. According to All About Vision, almost half of all Americans will develop a cataract by the time they are 65, and...
A colostomy is a surgical procedure that is used to treat diseases of the bowel such as colorectal cancer. During the procedure, a portion of the large intestine is brought out of the bowel through an opening in the abdomen. Stool which would...
Physicians perform hernia surgery to repair defects in the abdominal wall that allow the bowel to slip through. When the bowel protrudes through the abdominal wall, one consequence can be strangulation, which is a dangerous condition in which the...
Of the five senses, vision is the most powerful. Vision allows you to perceive the world and assess your environment with speed and accuracy, abilities that enrich experience and hasten response to danger. Seeking eye surgery that may improve...
Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the United States, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health. The risk of developing this form of cancer increases past the age of 50. Diet and family history...
Caesarean sections are becoming more common. According to Nemours--the largest children's provider of health care--they account for about 30 percent of all deliveries. During a C-section, a woman may have the option to be "put under" with a...
The Lap Band is one of the two main gastric bypass devices used to treat obesity. The New York University (NYU) Medical Center describes the process of barriatric surgery and how the lap band is put into place surgically on a portion of the...
Laser prostate surgery involves the use of concentrated, high-energy waves and intense heat to destroy prostate gland tissue that obstructs the flow of urine or causes other complications. Because laser surgery is minimally invasive and does not...
Cochlear implant surgery involves the placement of a small hearing aid, within the ear, which emits electrical signals that stimulate the hearing nerve and brain. Once placed, the cochlear device can significantly increase a patient's ability to...
Cervical spine surgery can effectively treat damage to the part of the spinal cord that runs through the neck. But while cervical spine surgery may relieve nerve pressure and strengthen and align the spinal cord, it may also result in a host of...
The carpal tunnel is a band or ring in your hand that resembles a tunnel in its appearance. It is made from bone and tight fibrous tissues that, when cut as part of carpal tunnel surgery, cause the band to change shape. As a result, nerve pressure...
Sinus or nasal polyps are small growths of noncancerous tissue that develop along the inside of the nasal and sinus cavities. These growths occur most frequently in people who have asthma or allergies, according to The Merck Manuals Online Medical...
The prostate is a gland located near the rectum that makes up part of the male reproductive system. Prostate cancer develops when cells within the prostate acquire genetic mutations and begin to divide rapidly, leading to the development of a...
Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer affecting men and is the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). ACS estimates that approximately 192,000 men were diagnosed...
The colon is the part of the digestive system where some nutrients and water are absorbed. Sometimes the colon must be operated on because it has become damaged, infected, or cancerous. One way of operating on the colon is using laparoscopy, also...
Scleral buckle surgery is a procedure used to repair a detached retina. The retina sends visual information to the brain; an untreated detached retina will lead to permanent blindness. The repair consists of two main steps: repairing the original...
Spinal blocks often offer several advantages over general anesthesia for procedures involving the lower body, according to the 2006 edition of "Clinical Anesthesiology." As with any medical procedure, however, the use of spinal blocks in surgery...
Gastric bypass surgery is a type of bariatric weight loss surgery that creates a very small stomach and allows food to bypass parts of the digestive system, thus reducing the amount of calories a person absorbs and restricting the amount of...
Lap band surgery is a consideration for someone trying to lose weight, when diet and exercise are not decreasing pounds. To be considered for the procedure, a person's body mass index should be 40 or more or 35 or higher in junction with a serious...
