LAPAROSCOPIC PROCEDURES PERFORMED

• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gall bladder)
• Laparoscopic common bile duct surgery
• Laparoscopic appendectomy
• Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (groin)
• Laparoscopic ventral hernia and complex hernia repair (abdominal wall, diaphragm, paraesophageal and pelvis)
• Laparoscopic colon and rectal surgery
• Laparoscopic spleen surgery
• Laparoscopic adrenal surgery
• Laparoscopic liver surgery
• Laparoscopic gastric surgery (stomach)
• Laparoscopic fundoplication for the treatment of heartburn (reflux lux, GERD, hiatal hernia)
• Laparoscopic esophageal surgery
• Laparoscopic oncologic staging surgery and biopsies

OTHER ADVANCED MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURES PERFORMED

• Thoracoscopic procedures of the chest and lungs
   
• Minimally invasive procedures of the breast
   
• Sentinel node biopsy for breast cancer and melanoma
   
• Minimally invasive radio guided parathyroid surgery

DESCRIPTION OF PROCEDURES AND INDICATIONS

Laparoscopic Colon Surgery

Nationwide, laparoscopic colon surgery has rapidly become the "gold standard" procedure of choice for surgery of all benign diseases of the colon. Today colon diseases that are amenable to laparoscopic colon surgery include: recurrent diverticulitis, colovesical fistulas, large unresectable polyps and early colon tumors, inflammatory bowel disease, rectal prolapse and localized colonic bleeding among others. Even emergency colon surgery for perforation or bleeding is readily treated by laparoscopy. In cases of colon cancer, earlier concerns regarding trocar site recurrences do not seem to be evident in early data from prospective randomized trials involving laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer. Laparoscopic resection is expected to become the treatment of choice for most colon malignancies in the near future.

Patients typically undergo routine preoperative testing and receive a bowel preparation the day prior to surgery. On the day of surgery, the patient is admitted to the hospital and the duration of surgery depends on the procedure performed. After surgery most patients are able to take liquids the night of surgery and resume bowel function before they are discharged. Typically patients are discharged home by the 3rd to 4th post-operative day. Patients resume their usual activities within 2-3 weeks after follow-up with their surgeon.

Laparoscopic Hernia Surgery

Hernias of all types within the abdomen and pelvis are very amenable to repair by laparoscopic techniques. Patients with inguinal hernias, and particularly bilateral and recurrent hernias, are wonderful candidates for laparoscopic surgery and experience less pain and have a faster return to their usual activities. Large ventral hernias of all types are commonly repaired through laparoscopic means with shorter hospital stays and much smaller scars. Unusual and unique types of hernias, such as para-esophageal, hiatal, diaphragmatic and spigellian hernias are now best treated with laparoscopy and have become the treatment of choice in many institutions nationwide.

Laparoscopic Heartburn Surgery

Heartburn is the most common gastrointestinal complaint among Americans today. It affects approximately 7% of all Americans and occurs mostly in young to middle aged men and women, but can occur in patients of all ages. Many patients suffer from significant symptoms and can become dependent on medications for life. In many cases their symptoms may not respond to medication at all. Medications used for the treatment of heartburn work by decreasing stomach acid, but they do not correct the problem causing the reflux.

Patients suffer from reflux because of a poorly functioning muscle at the lower end of the esophagus. Laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of heartburn corrects this problem by strengthening this muscle or sphincter using part of the stomach to create a new valve or what is called a "fundoplication". This newly created valve helps to prevent future reflux.

Patients who would benefit from this type of surgery include the following:

- have heartburn symptoms more than twice in one week
- have difficulty swallowing or have painful swallowing
- have frequent vomit or feel full after eating only small amounts of food
- suffer from severe wheezing or hoarseness
- have unexplained weight loss
- chronic patients who require long-term or life-long medications who no longer wish to be on medication for heartburn

Many patients cannot afford the increasing price of these medicines, and insurance carriers are no longer covering the cost of many prescription heartburn medications. As a result many patients are choosing to undergo this surgery to correct the problem instead of merely abating their symptoms and have achieved excellent results.

Laparoscopic Spleen & Adrenal Surgery

For both spleen and adrenal surgery, there are a multitude of reports in the surgical literature which herald minimally invasive surgery as the "gold standard" treatment of choice for surgical intervention of these organ systems. Laparoscopic surgery is used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes of most hematological illnesses of the spleen, and almost all diseases involving the adrenal gland. In addition to complete and accurate pathologic diagnoses, patients have a much shorter hospital stay and faster recovery. Patients routinely are sent home the day after these surgical procedures are performed.

Laparoscopic Gallbladder and Bile Duct Surgery

Laparoscopic gall bladder surgery was one of the pioneer procedures first performed in the early 1990's and demonstrated the clear advantages of this surgical technique. It is now the 11 gold standard" treatment of gall bladder disease and is the standard by which most other laparoscopic procedures are measured. Now even advanced biliary reconstructive procedures and exploration of the common bile duct can be performed by laparoscopy. This enhances the therapeutic treatments that can be offered to patients by turning complex open operations into outpatient minimally invasive procedures.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us at (609) 877-1737 or click here to request additional information.

Page last updated February 08, 2003