General Surgery

As most people know, general surgeons perform surgery, but they also diagnose and treat many diseases. They specialize in the following diseases:

• Abdominal diseases, including problems with the GI tract, problems with digestion, stomach, small bowel, and colon problems
• Endocrine problems
• Breast and skin diseases
• Lung and chest problems
• Vascular problems
• Trauma and intensive care therapy

General Surgeons perform the following procedures:

• Surgery on the stomach, gallbladder, and liver
• Removal of the gallbladder and surgery on the bile ducts
• Surgery on the small bowel and large intestine (colon)
• Endoscopy of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum (EGD)
• Endoscopy of the colon (colonoscopy), including removal of polyps and diagnosis of GI bleeding
• Surgery on the rectum and anal areas (hemorrhoids)
• They repair hernias of the abdominal wall (inguinal, ventral, and incisional)
• They operate on the spleen and pancreas
• They operate on the stomach for ulcers and reflux esophagitis
• They insert feeding tubes in the stomach
• They operate on the appendix and adrenal glands

There are two ways that General Surgeons operate on the abdomen. They can do open abdominal surgery and laparascopic abdominal surgery. Laparascopic surgery is often preferred by the patient because less recovery time is needed, however there are times when open abdominal surgery is required.

What other diseases do General Surgeons specialize in and manage?

• Diseases of the thyroid and parathyroid
• Diseases of the thymus
• Diseases of the lung (thoracic cavity)
  • Cancer of the lung
  • Pneumothorax (leaking air from the lungs)
  • Infections of the lung
• Insertion of tracheostomy tubes for breathing
  • How do they operate on the lung?
    • They do open thoracic surgery
    • They also do laparoscopic (thorascopic) lung surgery
• Diseases of the skin such as cancer of the skin, masses of the skin, excessive skin, masses of the subcutaneous tissue
• Repair of facial and other scars
• Diagnosis and treatment of all diseases of the breast, including:
  • Evaluation of abnormal mammograms and breast masses
  • Removal of breast masses,
  • Diagnosis and treatment of cancer of the breast
  • Ultrasound of the breast
  • Mammotome ® minimally invasive biopsy of the breast
  • Needle localization and removal of small breast lesions

• Vascular diseases of extremity arteries and veins
  • Vascular diseases of carotid artery to brain
  • Vascular access surgery for dialysis
  • Vascular access to major veins of body for IV medications and chemotherapy (Mediport and central line insertion)

General Surgeons also specialize in treating patients who have experienced trauma. Major trauma is any injury that has the potential to cause prolonged illness or death. There are many causes of trauma including: falls, cuts, car wrecks and burns. Jefferson Regional is an Arkansas Level III Trauma Center, and is one of the busiest trauma centers in Arkansas. Our six general surgeons form the center of the trauma team that is available around the clock for our citizens

What training does it take to become a general surgeon at Jefferson Regional?

• • Four years of college
  • Four years of medical school
  • Five or six years of surgery residency
  • Passage of tests administered by the American Board of Surgery (ABS) and Board Certification
  • Regular recertification by the ABS by successful completion of continuing education hours and recertification examination
  • Most of our surgeons are have also been accepted for Fellowship in the American College of Surgeons