Overview
The breadth of surgical services includes hepatobiliary, transplant, surgical oncology and general surgery procedures. Moreover, the staff works closely with other medical specialties to provide optimal patient care. Collaboration with referring physicians is essential to patient management.
General Surgery staff perform a variety of procedures including, but not limited, to:
- Appendectomy.
- Biopsy.
- Breast.
- Breast augmentation.
- Breast biopsy.
- Breast cancer detection and treatment.
- Breast cancer surgery.
- Breast cancer: local treatment options.
- Breast cancer: lumpectomy and partial mastectomy.
- Breast examination after treatment for breast cancer.
- Chemotherapy for breast cancer.
- Hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer.
- Minimally-invasive breast biopsy.
- MRI and breast cancer.
- Options in breast surgery.
- Preventive breast cancer surgery.
- Radiation therapy for breast cancer.
- CAPP catheter placement.
- Cholecystectomy.
- Esophagogastric fundoplasty.
- Laparoscopic surgery
- Gastrointestinal malignancies.
- Peritoneal carcinomatosis.
- Melanomas.
- Splenectomy.
- Cholecystectomy.
- Gastric bypass.
- Exploratory surgery.
- Liver resection.
- Radio frequency ablation (RFA) for liver tumors.
- Whipple.
- Nissen.
- Retroperitoneal lymph node excision.
- Laparoscopic and open hernia repair.
- Inguinal.
- Umbilical.
- Incisional.
- Hiatal.
- Lipoma excision.
Locations
Services
The Department of General Surgery provides evaluation and treatment of the full range of complex general surgery problems, often working in conjunction with colleagues in other specialties. Collaboration with referring physicians is emphasized as essential to optimal patient management.
General surgery physicians specialize in the following areas
- Surgical management of hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases, including gallbladder disease, cancer, portal hypertension, appendicitis, diabetes, infections, peptic ulcer disease, small intestine cancer, stomach cancer, and cystic diseases.
- Laparoscopic surgery, including cholecystectomy, hernia repairs (including hiatal hernia), adrenalectomy, antireflux surgery, lymph node biopsy, splenectomy, digestive disease surgery, surgery for achalasia, diagnostic laparoscopy and other advanced procedures.
- Endoscopic evaluation and surgical treatment of upper gastrointestinal and small bowel disorders, including ulcers, hiatal hernia, achalasia, Barrett's Esophagus, gastritis, GI bleeding, gastroparesis, GERD and reflux as well as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).
- Other procedures include: hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), single-port surgery, colonoscopy, gastric pacemaker, bariatric surgery, gastric bypass surgery for weight loss, gastrointestinal surgery for severe obesity, weight loss surgery, LAP-BAND, treatment for metabolic syndrome and obesity, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG).
- In the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program, we offer the latest information on breast health, cancer research and treatment options from a unique, multidisciplinary program.
- Our Acute Care Surgery program is the largest in the region for Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.
FAQ
How do I get an appointment with a surgeon?
You may request an appointment through this WEB site or by calling 216.444.6664.
Is a referral from another physician necessary?
No.
What should I bring with me to the doctor's appointment?
Any tests done outside CCF may be helpful to making a decision about your care. Bring actual films of CT scans, X-rays, MRIs, etc., as well as reports. If surgery is anticipated, a recent EKG and lab work may save repeating those tests in preparation for the surgery.
How do I obtain my X-rays and reports from my referring physician?
You will need to contact the physician or facility where the tests were performed to obtain actual films, slides and reports. You will need to sign a release of information form, and then go to the facility to pick up the films, slides and reports. Always call ahead (to the Medical Records and Radiology Records departments) so that they can prepare your information for you.
What is involved in preparing me for surgery?
Besides the surgery itself and tests that may clarify your condition, we will want to be sure your overall condition is reviewed by the Anesthesia department.
First, you will answer some questions regarding your view of your health on a touch screen computer (very easy and user friendly!) Then you may be scheduled for blood work, an EKG, chest X-ray and to meet with a teaching nurse to answer any questions about your surgery and recovery. Finally, you may meet with an anesthetist nurse or physician who will discuss anesthesia and post operative pain management.
This process may take a 3-4 hour period or more, depending on tests which may be necessary.
If you are in good health and do not require preop work up or have had tests within the previous month, you may be able to talk with the teaching nurse that same day, and if no anesthesia testing is required, you may meet with them the same day of surgery.
Where should I stay if I am from out of town?
If more than an overnight stay is required by the complexity of the surgery and need for closer observation, admission to the hospital is preferable - and patients are evaluated daily as to readiness for discharge. Your surgeon will be able to give you estimated lengths of stay depending on your surgery and health status.
How long will I be hospitalized after my surgery?
Of course this depends on the type of surgery. But many surgeries can now be performed on an outpatient basis, with an option of "extended recovery" if the patient does not meet discharge criteria. With extended recovery, the patient may stay up to 23 hours in a "short stay" nursing unit, receiving full nursing care without affecting the outpatient status of the surgery.
Health Information
By definition, general surgeons offer a broad range of medical services which treat a variety of organ systems including breast, hepatobiliary (liver, bile duct, pancreas), endocrine glands, gastrointestinal as well as hernia repair.
To understand the variety of available services, Cleveland Clinic general surgeons and nurses created educational brochures. Each brochure offers a definition, description of the treatment and/or procedure, risks and benefits. These are excellent tools for a patient to start the educational process toward improved health.
Click on the topic of interest to learn more.
- Breast cancer surgery.
- Common bile duct exploration.
- Laparoscopic gastric bypass for morbid obesity.
- Diagnostic laparoscopy for organ examination.
- GERD, hiatal hernia, heartburn.
- Inguinal hernia.
- Laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
- Laparoscopic surgery for hernia repair.
- Pancreatic cancer.
- Liver disease.
- Parathyroid surgery.
- Thyroidectomy.
- Portal hypertension.
- Distal splenorenal shunt procedure.
- Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS).
