Surgical Services

General Surgery    

General surgery at Trillium encompasses abdominal surgery, hernia, breast surgery, bowel surgery, liver, pancreas and gall bladder surgery.

Abdominal Surgery

The term abdominal surgery broadly covers surgical procedures that involve opening the abdomen.  Diseases affecting the abdominal cavity are dealt with generally under their own names such as appendicitis.  Thee three most common abdominal surgeries are:

• Exploratory Laparotomy – This refers to the opening of the abdominal cavity for direct examination of its contents, for example, to locate a source of bleeding or trauma. It may or may not be followed by repair or removal of the primary problem.
• Appendectomy – Surgical opening of the abdominal cavity and removal of the appendix.  Typically performed as definitive treatment for appendicitis, although sometimes the appendix is prophylactically removed incidental to another abdominal procedure.
• Laparoscopy, which is a minimally invasive approach to abdominal surgery where rigid tubes are inserted through small incisions into the abdominal cavity. The tubes allow introduction of a small camera, surgical instruments, and gases into the cavity for direct or indirect visualization and treatment of the abdomen. The abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide gas to facilitate visualization and, often, a small video camera is used to show the procedure on a monitor in the operating room. The surgeon manipulates instruments within the abdominal cavity to perform procedures such as cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), the most common laparoscopic procedure. The laparoscopic method speeds recovery time and reduces blood loss and infection as compared to the traditional "open" cholecystectomy.

Bowel Resection

A bowel resection is surgery to remove a diseased or cancerous segment of the intestine. This 20-foot-long tube coiled inside the abdomen runs from the stomach to the rectum. It's the part of the digestive system in which nutrients are absorbed and waste material is formed into stool.

To accomplish the resection, the doctor will make an incision in your abdomen over the part of the bowel to be removed. After the removal, the doctor may need to---at least temporarily---leave an opening to the intestine through the wall of the abdomen. Intestinal contents drain from this opening into a sealed pouch. The opening is known as a "stoma," and the operation to create it called an "ostomy." There are two types of ostomy:

• Ileostomy – This operation creates an opening to the small intestine (ileum) through the surface of the abdomen. Intestinal contents draining from this location are typically no thicker than toothpaste.
• Colostomy – This operation establishes an artificial outlet for the large intestine (colon). Waste draining from this opening will be soft or more formed depending on the part of the colon involved.

The entire procedure usually takes 1 to 4 hours, but may last longer.

Breast Surgery

This is usually the first line of attack against breast cancer. Decisions about surgery depend on many factors. You and your doctor will determine the kind of surgery that is most appropriate for you based on the stage of the cancer, the "personality" of the cancer, and what is acceptable to you in terms of your long-term peace of mind.

Gallbladder Surgery

The gallbladder, an organ of the gastrointestinal system involved in the storage and concentration of bile, is shaped like a deflated balloon or pear, and lies on the surface of the right lobe of the liver.

One of the most common disorders of the gallbladder  occurs when cholesterol mixes with bile and calcium, forming gallstones.   Gallstones usually have to be removed surgically. In severe cases, the entire gallbladder must be removed.

Hernia Surgery

Occurs when part of an organ (usually the intestines) sticks through a weak point or tear in the thin muscular wall that holds the abdominal organs in place. Hernia Surgery pushed the organ back into the body cavity, and closes the hole in the muscular wall.

Liver Surgery

Liver surgery comprises various operations of the liver for different disorders. The most common operation performed on the liver is a resection (removal of a portion of the liver). The most typical indication for liver resection is a malignant tumor. Tumors can be primary (developed in the liver) or metastatic (developed in another organ, then migrated to the liver). The majority of liver metastases come from the colon.

Pancreatic Surgery

Pancreatic surgery encompasses a wide variety of surgical procedures concerning the pancreas (a gland located behind the stomach just below the liver). Disorders of pancreas can be divided onto those caused by tumors (benign or malignant) and those caused by inflammation (acute or chronic).
 
The majority of surgical procedures performed on the pancreas involve resection (removal) of the portion that is involved in the disease process.   A major pancreatic resection takes approximately 4-6 hours and in most cases is performed without blood transfusion. The post-operative hospital stay is about 7 days and complete recuperation time is expected in 6 weeks. In properly selected patients, excellent operative results and future quality of life are achieved.

Thoracic Surgery

Surgery on the chest and lungs.

Vascular Surgery

Surgery of the abdominal, thoracic, and peripheral arterial and venous systems to treat, repair, or reconstruct the vascular system (blood vessels and lymphatic’s). Examples include varicose veins, venous disease, non-healing ulcers, clogged arteries, and leg pain.

Physician Members of the Department of General Surgery

Physician Chief: Dr. D. Mumford