Conditions & Procedures
Displaying 1 - 127 of 127
Displaying 1 - 127 of 127
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Surgery, typically for anal cancer, that removes the anus, the rectum, and part of the sigmoid colon through an incision made in the abdomen. The end of the intestine is attached to an opening in the surface of the abdomen and body waste is collected in a disposable bag…
What is the official name of the MEN1 gene?
The official name of this gene is “multiple endocrine neoplasia I.”
MEN1 is the gene's official symbol. The MEN1 gene is also known by other names, listed below.
Read more about gene names and symbols on the About page.
What is…
Achalasia is a relatively rare disorder of the esophagus that makes it hard for foods and liquids to pass into the stomach.
The esophagus is the hollow, muscular tube that moves food and liquid from the throat to the stomach. The wall of the esophagus is made up…
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach and close to the duodenum—the first part of the small intestine. The pancreas secretes digestive juices, or enzymes, into the duodenum through a tube called the pancreatic duct.…
An adrenalectomy is a surgical procedure performed to remove tumors of the adrenal glands including:Benign tumors and cystsMalignant primary tumorsMetastatic tumors that have spread from other organs of the body.An adrenalectomy is traditionally performed laparoscopically as a…
Ampullary cancer is a malignant tumor that arises from the Ampulla of Vater, the last centimeter of the common bile duct as it passes through the duodenum, the first section of the intestine. All pancreatic and biliary secretions enter the duodenum…
Anal fistulas are generally common among those who have had an anal abscess. Treatment is usually necessary to reduce the chances of infection in an anal fistula, as well to alleviate symptoms.
An anal fistula is defined as a small tunnel with an internal opening in the anal…
B
Bariatric Surgery for Adults
Bariatric Surgery for Youth
The Normal Digestive Process
Types of Bariatric Surgery
Medical Costs
Research
Resources
Clinical Trials
Severe obesity is a chronic condition that is hard to treat with diet and exercise alone. Bariatric surgery is an…
A tumor (also called neoplasm) is the abnormal growth of cells and/or tissues. Tumors are either benign or malignant, and are unregulated by the natural control mechanisms of the body.
By BruceBlaus (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Types of Benign…
Key Points
A bowel obstruction is a blockage of the small or large intestine by something other than fecal impaction.
The most common cancers that cause bowel obstructions are cancers of the colon, stomach, and ovary.
Assessment includes a physical exam and imaging tests.…
C
Carcinoid tumors are neuroendocrine tumors typically arising in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, most notably in the ileum, the last third of the small intestine, and the appendix, but may occur elsewhere in the body including the lungs, rectum, colon, pancreas,…
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach and close to the duodenum-the first part of the small intestine. The pancreas secretes digestive juices, or enzymes, into the duodenum through a tube called the pancreatic duct.…
Colectomy is a surgical procedure to remove all or part of the colon. When only part of the colon is removed, it is called a partial colectomy. The procedure is also known as a bowel resection.
The colon is part of the body's digestive system. The…
Complex abdominal wall hernias are a special class of hernia that are associated with higher complication and recurrence rates, and are thus more difficult to manage. These hernias typically:
Involve a compromised surgical field in which gastrointestitinal, biliary or…
Increasing numbers of patients have large or complex abdominal wall defects such as giant abdominal wall hernias or enterocutaneous fistulas where bacterial contamination is present. These may result from from an incisional hernia due to multiple abdominal operations, surgical…
Conn's syndrome is a condition associated with the development of high blood pressure in the presence of low potassium levels in the blood. This is usually due to the presence of a tumor in the adrenal cortex,…
Crohn’s disease is a chronic disease that causes inflammation and irritation in your digestive tract. Most commonly, Crohn’s affects your small intestine and the beginning of your large intestine. However, the disease can affect any part…
Cryosurgery freezes the tumor to stop it from growing. This is done with a special probe that contains liquid nitrogen or liquid carbon dioxide. The probe is placed through the skin and directed into the tumor, guided by computed tomography (CT), …
Cushing's Syndrome occurs when the body's tissues are exposed to high levels of cortisol for too long. Many people develop Cushing's syndrome because they take glucocorticoids-steroid hormones that are chemically similar to naturally produced cortisol-such as prednisone…
The CyberKnife — one of the most advanced forms of radiosurgery — is a painless, non-invasive treatment that delivers high doses of precisely targeted radiation to destroy tumors or lesions within the body. It uses a robotic arm to deliver highly focused beams of radiation.…
D
A pancreatectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the pancreas. A distal pancreatectomy is removal of the body and tail of the pancreas. The pancreas is an organ about the size of a hand located in the abdomen in the vicinity of the stomach, intestines…
Diverticulosis is a condition that occurs when small pouches, or sacs, form and push outward through weak spots in the wall of your colon. These pouches are most common in the lower part of your colon, called the sigmoid colon. One pouch is called a diverticulum.…
E
An enterocutaneous fistula (ECF) is an abnormal connection that develops between the intestinal tract or stomach and the skin. As a result, contents of the stomach or intestines leak through to the skin.
Most ECFs occur after bowel surgery. Other causes include infection,…
Epigastric and umbilical hernias result from a defect or weakness in the abdominal wall between the chest and the belly button. This weakness allows the tissues inside the abdomen to protrude, resulting in a bulge. Umbilical hernias are similar to epigastric hernias,…
An esophagectomy is the surgical removal of the esophagus. The esophagus is a hollow tube that moves food and liquid from the throat to the stomach. The esophagus was is composed of several layers of tissue, including mucous membrane, muscle, and connective tissue.
An…
F
Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an inherited disorder characterized by cancer of the large intestine (colon) and rectum. People with the classic type of familial adenomatous polyposis may begin to develop multiple noncancerous (benign)…
Familial isolated hyperparathyroidism is an inherited condition characterized by overactivity of the parathyroid glands (hyperparathyroidism). The four parathyroid glands are located in the neck, and they release a hormone called parathyroid hormone that regulates the amount…
What is fecal incontinence?
Fecal incontinence, also called a bowel control problem, is the accidental passing of solid or liquid stool or mucus from the rectum. Fecal incontinence includes the inability to hold a bowel movement until reaching a toilet as well as passing stool…
Femoral hernias are another type of groin hernias, but occur lower in the body than the more common inguinal hernia. Fomoral hernias develop in the upper part of the thigh near the groin just below the inguinal ligament, where abdominal contents pass…
A flank hernia, also known as a lumbar hernia, results from defects in the postero-lateral abdominal wall that allows the tissues inside the abdomen to protrude. Lumbar hernias most frequently occur as a result of traumatic injury to the back or side of the…
G
What are gallstones?
Gallstones are hard particles that develop in the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ located in the upper right abdomen—the area between the chest and hips—below the liver.
Gallstones can range in size from a grain of sand to…
A gastrectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the stomach. The stomach is a J-shaped organ in the upper abdomen. It is part of the digestive system, which processes nutrients ( vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and water) in foods that are eaten and…
A giant abdominal wall hernia can develop from an existing ventral or incisional hernia, sometimes arising after one or more failed repair attempts. These hernias may also result from a traumatic injury where the abdomen was required to be left open and healing was…
Enlargement of the thyroid (goiter) and lumps within it (nodules) are both relatively common. They may be obvious to the naked eye or can be found incidentally by imaging studies of the neck, such as a sonogram of the carotid arteries or a CT or MR of…
H
How can I tell if I weigh too much?
Type 2 Diabetes
High Blood Pressure
Heart Disease
Stroke
Cancer
Sleep Apnea
Osteoarthritis
Fatty Liver Disease
Kidney Disease
Pregnancy Problems
How can I lower my risk of having health problems related to overweight and obesity?
Research…
The Heller myotomy is a laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgical procedure used to treat achalasia. Achalasia is a disorder of the esophagus that makes it hard for foods and liquids to pass into the stomach.
The Heller myotomy is …
A hemorrhoidectomy is surgery to remove internal or external hemorrhoids that are extensive or severe. Surgical hemorrhoidectomy is the most effective treatment for hemorrhoids, though it is associated with the greatest rate of complications. …
Embolization is a therapy to treat liver tumors by blocking their blood supply. Because liver tumors thrive on highly oxygenated blood from the hepatic artery, blocking that supply may kill it. Embolization is often used to treat tumors not amenable to surgery (liver…
A hernia occurs when an organ, intestine or fatty tissue squeezes through a hole or a weak spot in the surrounding muscle or connective tissue. Hernias often occur at the abdominal wall. Sometimes a hernia can be visible as an external bulge particularly when straining or…
A hiatal hernia is the protrusion (or herniation) of the upper part of the stomach into the thorax through a tear or weakness in the diaphragm. Hiatal hernias often result in heartburn but may also cause chest pain or pain with eating. The most common cause is obesity. The…
"As with any complex procedure, it makes sense to choose a facility and doctor that perform the operations frequently rather than rarely. When we were asking around, eight years ago, the UCSF hospital and Dr. Quan Duh came highly recommended on those grounds (and I have since…
Hyperthyroidism is a disorder that occurs when the thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormone than the body needs. It is sometimes called thyrotoxicosis, the technical term for too much thyroid hormone in the blood. About 1 percent of the U.S. population has hyperthyroidism…
I
Definition & Facts
Symptoms & Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Eating, Diet, & Nutrition
Clinical Trials
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Definition & Facts
What is indigestion?
Indigestion, also called dyspepsia or upset stomach, is a general term that describes a…
In an inguinal hernia, abdominal fat or a loop of small intestine enters the inguinal canal, a tubular passage through the lower layers of the abdominal wall. A hernia occurs when part of an internal organ (usually the small intestine) protrudes through a weak point or…
L
With Lap-band surgery, an adjustable silicone band is placed around the upper part of the stomach to create a stomach pouch that can hold only small amounts of food. Lap-band is a purely restrictive procedure.
In the graphic above, the lower, larger…
The "Roux-en-Y gastric bypass" (RYGB) is considered the "gold standard" for weight-loss surgery by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the National Institutes of Health.
RYGB works by restricting food intake…
Laparoscopic surgery is performed using general anesthesia. The surgeon makes several small incisions in the lower abdomen and inserts a laparoscope-a thin tube with a tiny video camera attached to one end. The camera sends a magnified image from inside the body to a monitor,…
In a sleeve gastrectomy, also known as a vertical sleeve gastrectomy or gastric sleeve procedure, the outer margin of the stomach is removed to restrict food intake, leaving a sleeve of stomach, roughly the size and shape of a banana, and the pylorus,…
Laparoscopic surgery is performed using general anesthesia. The surgeon makes several small incisions in the abdomen and inserts a laparoscope-a thin tube with a tiny video camera attached to one end. The camera projects a magnified image of inside the abdomen to a monitor,…
What is a liver biopsy?
A liver biopsy is a procedure that involves taking a small piece of liver tissue for examination with a microscope for signs of damage or disease. The three types of liver biopsy are the following:
Percutaneous biopsy—the most common type of liver…
Liver cysts are thin-walled sacs filled with air, fluids, or semi-solid material. Liver cysts occur in approximately 5% of people. The majority of cysts are benign, but all cancers are able to produce malignant cysts. Patients…
Liver metastases are tumors that have spread to the liver from other areas of the the body. Cancer cells often have aggressive tendencies and will invade other areas of the body. They usually do so by floating in the blood stream and then replicating themselves…
A liver resection is the surgical removal of all or a portion of the liver. It is also referred to as a hepatectomy, full or partial. A complete liver resection is performed in the setting of a transplant a diseased liver is removed from a…
Lynch syndrome, also known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), is an inherited disorder that increases the risk of many types of cancer, particularly cancers of the colon (large intestine) and rectum, which are collectively referred to as…
M
Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that raise your risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke. The term "metabolic" refers to the biochemical processes involved in the body's normal functioning.…
While some liver tumors can be removed surgically, the majority are inoperable and must be treated by alternative means. One such method is ablation (tissue destruction), a surgical procedure traditionally performed using a number of …
Multiple endocrine neoplasia is a group of disorders that affect the body's network of hormone-producing glands (the endocrine system). Hormones are chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream and regulate the function of cells and tissues throughout the body.…
N
A NIssen fundoplication is the definitive surgical treatment for GERD where medical therapy has failed and to acheive a permanent solution to the problem of acid reflux backup into the stomach.
During the Nissen fundoplication, the upper part of the…
O
Obesity is the condition in which fatty tissue stores are excessive. Obesity is associated with serious chronic illnesses including diabetes, coronary artery disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, and degenerative joint disease leading to an increased…
In open hernia repair, also called herniorrhaphy, a person is given local anesthesia in the abdomen or spine to numb the area, general anesthesia to sedate or help the person sleep, or a combination of the two. Then the surgeon makes an incision in the groin, moves the hernia…
In open hernia repair, also called herniorrhaphy, a person is given general anesthesia to sedate or help the person sleep, and this is often augmented with epidural anesthesia to improve recovery time and pain control. Then the surgeon makes an incision on the abdomen,…
P
A pancreatectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the pancreas. The pancreas is an organ about the size of a hand located in the abdomen in the vicinity of the stomach, intestines, and other organs. It lies behind the stomach and in front of the spine. The…
A pancreatic pseudocyst is a fluid-filled sac that forms in the abdomen comprised of pancreatic enzymes, blood, and necrotic (dead) tissue. Pancreatic pseudocysts account for approximately 75% of all pancreatic masses and typically are complications of chronic…
A parastomal hernia is a type of incisional hernia allowing abdominal contents to protrude through an abdominal wall defect in the stoma.
What is a Stoma
A stoma or ostomy is a surgically created opening accessible at the skin level of the abdomen allowing stool or urine…
Parathyroidectomy is the surgical removal of one or more parathyroid glands.The parathyroid glands are four rice-sized glands located on back of the thyroid gland in the neck. The parathyroid glands make parathyroid hormone (PTH), which controls the levels of calcium in the…
The term "pelvic floor" refers to the group of muscles that form a sling or hammock across the opening of a woman's pelvis. These muscles, together with their surrounding tissues, keep all of the pelvic organs in place so that the organs can function correctly.
A pelvic floor…
Portal vein embolization (PVE) is a procedure that induces regrowth on one side of the liver in advance of a planned hepatic resection on the other side. The procedure is frequently used in primary liver cancer (hepatocellular…
Sanziana Roman MD and Julie Ann Sosa MD MA are among a select few endocrine surgeons in the country who use small incisions to remove adrenal tumors through the back. This avoids painful abdominal incisions and results in a shorter, less invasive operation with faster…
Some patients with abdominal wall hernias have such large hernias that they are called "giant" hernias, commonly defined as a hernia greater than 10 cm in any dimension. These giant hernias can also be associated with loss of domain. When there is loss of domain, the abdominal…
The presacral space is the area between the rectum and lowest part of your the spine, which is called the sacrum. The presacral space is inside the pelvis, behind the rectum and in front of the coccyx and sacrum. Normally it is empty, or it contains a pocket of fat…
Surgery to remove the colon and rectum is called a proctocolectomy. This is the standard surgical procedure for patients with ulcerative colitis where medical therapy has failed or serious life-threatening complications have ensued.
Proctocolectomy is followed by either:
Ileal…
R
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive treatment, one of several types of ablation therapy, where surgery is not a good option. Guided by imaging, a thin needle or probe is inserted through the skin and into the tumor.The probe…
The breakdown of a hernia repair is called recurrent hernia. The bulge returns at or near the site of the prior hernia. Recurrent hernias greatly increase the complexity of subsequent repair. If left untreated, severe complications can result such as the…
In revisional bariatric surgery, surgeons modify or repair an earlier operation. Patients whose previous bariatric surgery produced undesirable or disappointing outcomes are possible candidates for revisional surgery.
Background…
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A spigelian hernia, also known as a lateral ventral hernia, develops through the spigelian fascia, the muscles found in the abdominal wall whereas most other hernias develop just below layers of fat.
Because of the location, swelling is often minimal with little outward signs…
T
Enlargement of the thyroid (goiter) and lumps within it (nodules) are both relatively common. They may be obvious to the naked eye or can be found incidentally by imaging studies of the neck, such as a sonogram of the carotid arteries or a CT or MR of…
The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ composed of two cone-like lobes or wings connected via the isthmus. The gland regulates metabolism by secreting hormones. When diseases affect the thyroid, its size or activity may become abnormal.
What is a Thyroidectomy?
A…
UCSF colorectal surgeons now offer a minimally invasive procedure called Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEM) for removal of rectal tumors and early stage rectal cancers. TEM is available only at a select group of instiutions nationwide. …
Diabetes, defined as elevated blood sugar, is a disorder of metabolism, i.e., the way the body uses digested food for growth and energy. If not controlled, diabetes can be life threatening and associated with long-term complications that can affect every…
U
Upper GI endoscopy is a procedure in which a doctor uses an endoscope—a long, flexible tube with a camera—to see the lining of your upper GI tract. A gastroenterologist, surgeon, or other trained health care provider performs the procedure, most often while you…
V
A hernia occurs when part of an internal organ (usually the small intestine) protrudes through a weak point of the abdominal wall, resulting in a bulge.
A ventral or incisional hernia specifically describes a hernia, often in the middle of the abdomen, that occurs after a…
Volvulus occurs when the intestine twists around itself and the mesentery that supports it, creating an obstruction. The area of intestine above the obstruction continues to function and fills with food, fluid, and gas. The mesentery may become so tightly twisted that blood…
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The Whipple Procedure, known as a a pancreaticoduodenectomy, is performed to treat the following conditions:Cancer of the ampulla of Vater (Ampullary Cancer)Cancer of the distal (lower portion) of the bile ductChronic PancreatitisDuodenal cancerNeuroendocrine (Islet Cell)…
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Radioembolization also known as selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT), is a form of radiation therapy used to selected patients who are not candidates for surgery due to the location of their tumors or their performance (health) status. …