General Surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the treatment of a variety of disorders frequently requiring surgery. A board–certified general surgeon is required to complete five years of additional training after receiving the medical doctor degree. This training involves learning how to evaluate a patient’s medical condition and determining whether surgery is the best type of treatment available.

A general surgeon receives extensive training in specific surgical procedures, pre–surgical patient consultation, and patient follow–up care. Some of the more common problems treated by a general surgeon are, thyroid tumors, breast tumors, gallbladder disease, colon tumors, appendicitis, and hernias.

Vascular Surgery is considered a super–specialty of general surgery. A vascular surgeon treats medical problems involving blood vessels (both arteries and veins). These problems usually are related to blockage or aneurysms, most often caused by atherosclerosis, or injury.

Laparoscopic Surgery is a new method for treating some surgical problems. It offers some benefits in recovery in that the skin incisions are not as large, but the goals of the operation are the same as the traditional methods, and it is associated with the same risks. Hospitalization time is usually shorter because general, vascular and laparoscopic surgery is a medical specialty. Patients are most often referred to our practice by another physician when the referring physician feels that surgery may be indicated. Sometimes a patient will have a medical condition that he or she perceives requires a surgical solution. Our office will gladly accept appointments for surgical procedures without a referral from your primary care physician. Generally, surgeons do not treat general medical problems in that case your general medical needs can best be served by a qualified primary care physician. Out office staff has been instructed to only accept patients requiring the professional skills of a qualified surgeon. Should a general medical problem arise during the course of your surgical treatment, we will work closely with your family physician or internist to assure that you receive prompt, courteous professional care.

The Viewing Wand is particularly useful when constant reference to the pre–operative image is necessary. Locating small lesions no longer requires large exposures. After inputting all the diagnostic images into the work station, the wand is simply pointed at the head, the lesion located, the approach an trajectory planned and a minimally invasive approach option chosen. As one proceeds into the brain using the wand the exact present location in terms of the diagnostic image, is displayed on the computer screen. It will be possible to eventually input a host of data like physiological functions, angiograms and so on. Thus one can avoid dangerous areas. There is minimal disruption of normal brain, while approaching the tumor. This technique ensures accuracy and precision is the ability of a device to locate a point in space. Precision is the ability to return to a specific location. Constant checking and rechecking is possible. Like a spacecraft checking its position continuously by the Global Position Satellite, one knows exactly where one is at any point of time.

Tomorrow’s surgeon may or may not be familiar with different types of blades and suture materials. If he or she cannot point, click and drag with a computer mouse he/she will soon fade into oblivion. In an ever increasing competitive world one has to keep running just to stay in the same place! The difference between the have (internet access) and the has not will be so much, that natural selection will result in survival of the fittest!