The GW Minimally Invasive Surgery Center at
The George Washington University Hospital is
leading the Washington, DC, area in providing
more laparoscopic surgery options than ever
for both common and complex conditions.
 |
Khashayar Vaziri, MD,
Assistant Professor of
Surgery
|
Chronic Heartburn?
Or Is It GERD?
Chronic heartburn, nausea
and regurgitation could be
symptoms of gastroesophageal
reflux disease (GERD). This
condition occurs when the oneway
valve at the end of the
esophagus doesn't close properly,
and stomach contents and harmful
gastric acids back up into the
esophagus. Left untreated, GERD
can narrow the esophagus and
cause precancerous cell changes.
"Medications help some
patients cope with their discomfort," says Khashayar
Vaziri, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery. "Surgery may
be an option for those who don't improve with
medications or don't want to take medication for the
rest of their lives." Dr. Vaziri completed a minimally
invasive fellowship program at Northwestern University.
For those patients with GERD, a minimally invasive
Nissen fundoplication procedure may ease their
symptoms. During this procedure, the upper portion of
the stomach is wrapped around the lower portion of the
esophagus to create a new valve and help prevent reflux.
Hiatal hernias -- which often contribute to GERD --
can be repaired during the same procedure.
"This surgery can change patients' lives," Dr. Vaziri
says. "Patients feel better and can stop taking heartburn
medications right after surgery."
|
Fred Brody, MD, FACS, MBA, Director of
Minimally Invasive
Surgery and Associate
Professor of Surgery
|
Tackling Adrenal Gland
and Spleen Tumors
Surgeons at the Minimally
Invasive Surgery Center use
laparoscopic techniques to
treat most conditions in the
abdominal area, including the
adrenal glands and spleen.
"Laparoscopic adrenal and
spleen surgeries have a very long
track record for success," says
Fred Brody, MD, FACS, MBA,
Director of Minimally Invasive
Surgery and Associate Professor of
Surgery.
The adrenal glands, located
on top of the kidneys, secrete
hormones that help the body cope with stress. The spleen,
located on the left side of the body below the rib cage,
helps filter the blood. Active tumors in the adrenal glands
can lead to the production of hormones that cause high
blood pressure, while active tumors of the spleen can
affect blood clotting.
To remove these tumors, doctors make three small
incisions in the abdomen, inflate the abdomen with
carbon dioxide gas and use specially designed instruments
to remove the tumors and the adrenal glands or spleen.
"Minimally invasive techniques are especially helpful
when operating on structures deep in the abdomen, such
as the adrenal glands, because they help patients avoid
large incisions and longer, more painful recoveries,"
Dr. Brody says.
|
Vincent Obias, MD, MS, Assistant
Professor of Surgery
|
Specialized Surgery
for Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal (colon or rectum)
cancer is the second leading
cause of cancer deaths in the
United States. Affecting both men
and women, it becomes more
common as people age.
Surgeons at GW Hospital offer
minimally invasive laparoscopic
surgery to remove the diseased
sections of the colon through the
abdomen.
"The visualization is so
good that nerve injury can be
minimized, and the incisions are so small, patients go
home sooner with less pain," says Vincent Obias, MD,
MS, Assistant Professor of Surgery. Dr. Obias completed
a colon and rectal fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic
Foundation and an advanced laparoscopy colon and
rectal fellowship at University Hospitals Case Medical
Center.
Certain patients may be candidates for transanal
endoscopic microsurgery, an advanced procedure
available at few hospitals. Surgeons insert a scope into
the anus to view and remove polyps or cancerous tissue
without incisions.
"Rectal surgery is very complex," Dr. Obias says.
"It's important for patients to seek care from a surgeon
who has specialized training in this area." In addition to
cancer treatment, GW Hospital also offers innovative
procedures to treat Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis,
polyp disease, diverticulitis and rectal prolapse.
|
Paul Lin, MD, Chief of
the Division of General
Surgery and Associate
Professor of Surgery
|
Organ-Preserving Surgery for
Liver and Pancreatic Cancers
Advanced diagnostics like
computed tomography (CT)
scans are so sensitive that doctors
are identifying asymptomatic liver
and pancreatic tumors earlier,
allowing for potentially lifesaving
and organ-preserving treatment.
Liver cancer may begin in the
liver or spread to there from other
organs. A patient with liver cancer
may have no symptoms or may
have pain in the right side of the
abdomen and yellowing of the skin.
Pancreatic cancer may develop
in the organ that produces insulin and digestive enzymes.
Symptoms may include yellowing of the skin and eyes,
pain in the abdomen and back, weight loss and fatigue.
Both cancers typically are treated with chemotherapy
and radiation therapy. However, surgery may be an option
when the cancers are found early and have not spread to
other structures in the body.
"We try to save as much of the organ as we can," says
Paul Lin, MD, Chief of the Division of General Surgery and
Associate Professor of Surgery. "We have advanced tools --
including better visualization, coagulation and stapler
devices -- that allow us to laparoscopically remove the
portion of the liver or pancreas that contains the tumor and
leave the rest of the organ intact."
One technique, thermal ablation therapy, allows doctors
to treat small tumors deep in the liver. A probe is placed in
the tumor that delivers radiofrequency energy that heats and
destroys the diseased tissue while preserving more of the liver.
Is Laparoscopic
Right for You?
Ask your doctor
if minimally
invasive surgery
is an option for
you. To find out
more about the
services available at
the new Minimally Invasive
Surgery Center, please call
1-888-4GW-DOCS.
