Door County Medical Center General Surgery Clinic

Colectomy is an operation that removes a portion or all of the large intestine. This can be performed open (large incision in the abdomen) or laparoscopically with or without robotic assistance. Doctors use this procedure to treat inflammatory conditions, such as Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis or diverticulitis and to remove tumors, cancerous or non-cancerous.

A colonoscopy is an exam used to detect changes or abnormalities in the large intestine (colon) and rectum. During a colonoscopy, a long, flexible tube (colonoscope) is inserted into the rectum. A tiny video camera at the tip of the tube allows the doctor to view the inside of the entire colon. A colonoscopy may include a biopsy or polyp removal.

A minimally invasive surgery to remove the gallbladder. Gallstones can cause inflammation, pain or infection. The surgery usually involves a few small incisions, and most people go home the same day and soon return to normal activities.

Surgery to remove hemorrhoids. Incisions are made in the tissue around the hemorrhoid. The swollen vein inside the hemorrhoid is tied off to prevent bleeding, and the hemorrhoid is removed.

A hernia (or bulge) is a weakness or defect in the wall of the abdomen, allowing the contents of the abdomen to push outward. This weakness can be present at birth. More often, it occurs because of the wear and tear of daily living – heavy lifting, shoveling, etc. Hernias are more common in men, but can also affect women and children. They occur at any age. Most hernias are not life threatening. The repair of a hernia will decrease the discomfort you are having with the hernia and prevent the risk of major problems that can occur requiring emergency surgery.

A hernia will not heal on its own. Surgery needs to be done to repair the hernia. The surgery can be done with a laparoscope. This will leave a few small scars on your abdomen done laparoscopically, as compared to the traditional “open” repair, which leaves a longer scar. Most laparoscopic hernias are done robotic-assisted, repaired with mesh and will require a general anesthetic.

Also referred to as diagnostic laparoscopy, is a minimally invasive method diagnosing intra-abdominal diseases. Exploratory laparoscopy also allows tissue biopsy, culture acquisition, and a variety of therapeutic interventions. It may also include small bowel resection and lysis of adhesions

Gastropexy is a surgical operation in which the stomach is sutured to the abdominal wall or the diaphragm. Gastropexy is sometimes performed as a treatment of GERD to prevent the stomach from moving up into the chest.

Heller myotomy is a surgical procedure in which the muscles of the esophagus are cut, allowing food and liquids to pass to the stomach.

When you have a paraesophageal hernia, the diaphragm weakens and allows most or all of the stomach to protrude up into the chest, above the diaphragm. Most paraesophageal hernias can be repaired laparoscopically with robot assistance. During the procedure, the stomach is moved back into the abdominal cavity and the diaphragm is closed to prevent the stomach from re-herniating. A special mesh is often used in this repair.

A procedure in which a flexible feeding tube is placed through the abdominal wall and into the stomach to assist in nutritional supplementation when/if you're unable to eat. This procedure is usually done in conjunction with an EGD (esophagogastroduodenoscopy) for better visualization and placement of the feeding tube.

With a peritoneal dialysis catheter, dialysis can be performed at home by the patient giving you more freedom and less interruption in daily life.

Peritoneal dialysis uses the peritoneum (a thin membrane that lines the abdominal cavity) as a filter to help remove toxins from the blood that can no longer be cleared by the poorly functioning kidneys. Through minimally invasive surgery, a catheter is placed in the abdominal cavity, permitting dialysis fluid to be instilled into, and then removed from, the abdomen.

The operation typically requires general anesthesia and takes about one hour. Patients can begin to use their new dialysis catheter as soon as the next day if needed.

A PowerPort is a special type of catheter placed underneath your skin. This allows you to receive chemotherapy drugs or antibiotics in a larger vein, assisting in dilution of the medicine and alleviate damage to your smaller vessels.

Including but not limited to sebaceous cysts, lipomas and other skin lesions, like moles.

EGD is an endoscopic procedure that allows your doctor to examine your esophagus, stomach and duodenum (part of your small intestine). EGD is an outpatient procedure, meaning you can go home that same day. Your EGD may or may not be done using BRAVO^® a technology that attaches a small device to the lower part of your esophagus to measure pH levels.

Surgery can repair a hiatal hernia by pulling your stomach back into the abdomen and making the opening in the diaphragm smaller.

A Nissen fundoplication is a surgery to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Your surgeon creates a sphincter (tightening muscle) at the bottom of the esophagus to prevent acid reflux. Most people notice a significant decrease in acid reflux symptoms after the surgery.

Parathyroidectomy is the surgery to remove one or more of the parathyroid glands in patients who have hyperparathyroidism. Parathyroidectomy is the only definitive treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism.

Thyroidectomy is surgery to remove all or part (partial, subtotal, total) of your thyroid gland. Our surgeons perform thyroidectomies to remove goiters and thyroid nodules and to treat thyroid cancer.

A thyroid FNA biopsy is a procedure that removes a small sample of tissue from your thyroid gland. Cells are removed through a small, hollow needle.

Lumpectomy is a surgery to remove cancerous breast tissue. The procedure preserves the rest of the breast as well as sensation in the breast. It often includes a sentinel lymph node biopsy.

Mastectomy is breast surgery that removes the entire breast when some one cannot be treated with a lumpectomy. It often includes a sentinel lymph node biopsy.

Venous ligation refers to tying off varicose veins through small incisions made in the skin in the affected areas. Vein stripping is the removal of larger varicose veins in a similar manner. They are performed to treat and reduce the recurrence of varicose veins.

The Venefit™ procedure is a minimally invasive treatment that utilizes radiofrequency energy to contract the collagen in the vein walls, causing them to collapse and seal. Once the diseased vein is closed, blood will re-route itself to other healthy veins.

Several tiny cuts (incisions) are made in the skin through which the varicose vein is removed. Stitches usually are not required.