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What's New At Surgical Specialists |
Endovascular repair is a relatively new procedure for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Less invasive than open surgery, it involves excluding (sealing off) the aneurysm by placing an endovascular graft inside of the diseased aorta, making a new path for the blood to flow. The endovascular graft remains inside the aorta permanently through the use of metal prongs, or anchors as well as a tight fit (radial force) against the wall of the aorta. Endovascular repair may be performed under general, regional or local anesthesia while the patient remains conscious (awake) but sedated, and typically takes 1 to 3 hours to complete. Patients may have a hospital stay of only a few days and can usually return to normal activity within 6 weeks after the procedure.
The procedure does require routine, periodic follow-up visits with your doctor. Tests are performed to evaluate the procedure and monitor the success of the treatment. Not every patient is a candidate for endovascular repair. With this in mind, please check with us to see if you are a candidate. If you would like more information, please feel free to call our offices at (570) 821-1100.
New Procedure for Hemorrhoid Surgery
We are very enthusiastic about out results of the PPH operation that we performed for patients who supper from hemorrhoids.
More than 525,000 patients are treated annually for symptomatic hemorrhoids and approximately 10-20 percent will require surgical treatment for their condition. Your patients may be calling you to find out more about their hemorrhoid treatment options, including the Procedure for Prolapse and Hemorrhoids (PPH), which provides less pain and quicker recover than traditional hemorrhoid surgery.
Because the PPH technique is relatively new alternative to traditional procedures, we wanted to share information with you on the patient benefits and the availability of this procedure in our local area.
Interim results from ongoing U.S. clinical trails comparing PPH to traditional hemorrhoid surgery indicate:
We introduced this procedure last year and to date have completed over 100 procedures utilizing this technique with outstanding results. Surgery is not indicated for every hemorrhoid sufferer, but for those refractory to other medical treatments, it may be an option.
If you should desire additional information, or wish to discuss this procedure further, please feel free to call (570) 821-1100.
Anterior Retroperitoneal Approach to the Lumbosagral Spine Using Fusion Cage
The anterior retroperitoneal approach to the lumbosacral spine offers patients and their referring physicians new options for management of low back disorders. The 'BAK' interbody fusion cage is new technology which allows the surgeon a new way to treat low back pain. The anterior retroperitoneal approach is different from the more traditional posterior laminectomy approaches which have been done in the past. The anterior retroperitoneal approach is done most commonly for degenerative disc diseabe which might include disc herniation and instability. The procedure is often useful even in patients who have failed previous posterior laminectomies, The approach can be done open or even with laparoscopy techniques. Most patients at the Wilkes Barre General Hospital have been done through an open procedure. A small incision is made in the abdominal wall below the umbilicus. The abdominal cavity is never entered but rather the sac containing the abdominal contents, called the peritoneal sac, is reflected or rolled to the patient's right. This then exposes the lumbosacral disc space so that the neurosurgeons can carry out the fusion cage device technique. The majority of patient's having this procedure at the Wilkes Barre General Hospital have improvement of their back pain and have had little discomfort from their incision in the post operative period. Most patients go home in two to three days after surgery.
For further information on this new approach, the anterior retroperitoneal exposure of the lumbosacral spine for fusion, you can contact your family physician, your neurosurgeon, or Dr. Paull.
Patient's No Longer Require Incisions for Breast Biopsy!
In the past, patients with abnormalities on mammogram that could not be felt by the surgeon on physical examination required open surgical biopsy techniques. This included preoperative blood and x-ray testing, coming to the outpatient department at the hospital, being seen by the radiologist, having a guide wire placed in the lesion, going to the operating room, having an anesthetic, and having an incision placed on the breast with a scar. The wire and the specimen had to be x-rayed again to see if the or abnormalities on the mammogram were in the specimen and then finally the patient had to recover and go home. All of that was time consuming, uncomfortable, and anxiety producing for the patients.
There is a new technique that obviates all of this. The new technique is called image guided breast biopsy. The surgeons of Surgical Specialists are now routinely doing these procedures using stereotactic and ultrasound guided breast techniques. A typical stereotactic breast biopsy requires no preoperative testing, is done in an outpatient environment, requires no anesthetic, is painless, takes only a few minutes, and is incredibly accurate at removing abnormalities seen on a mammogram. The pathology is quickly returned to the patient and referring physician.
We are currently doing these procedures at the Saxton Pavilion in Edwardsville, PA. Typically the patient comes to the Pavilion and lays prone on a flat table. The breast goes through an aperture on the table. Just as in routine mammography the breast is gently compressed between two plates and a computer x-ray is then taken localizing the lesion using paired images of the lesion. The unit can pin point a lesion within 1 mm. The breast is gently wiped with alcohol or Betadine. Local anesthesia is used to anesthetize a small area. The mammotome needle device is inserted into the breast after a nick is made into the skin. There are no incisions. The mammotome, using a vacuum assisted device suctions and a rotary blade, removes biopsies of the abnormality. The mammotome is removed, compression is placed on the breast for a short period of time, a band aid is placed, and the patient goes home the same day. The pathology is usually back within 24 hours so the patients, their families, and the referring doctors can make informed decisions. If you have or know a patient with mammographic abnormality and would like to know more about the procedure we encourage you to call us at Surgical Specialists of Wyoming Valley at (570) 821-1100.