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AORTIC_ANEURYSM An aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the aorta, the main blood vessel that comes from the heart. This aorta passes through the abdomen and gives off branches to various organs along the way and then divides into the vessels going to the legs. The cause of an aneurysm is atherosclerosis with weakening of the wall of the aorta. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
AORTO-BIFEMORAL BYPASS You have a blockage or partial blockage in the aorta, the main blood vessel that comes from the heart or of one of its branches in the pelvis which supplies blood to the lower limbs. The cause is usually atherosclerosis and/or blood clot which has formed. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
APPENDICECTOMY The appendix is a small appendage that hangs from the first part of the large bowel in the right part of your lower abdomen. It is about 12cm long and a little thicker than a pencil. If this tube becomes plugged and infected, appendicitis can develop. It occurs at all ages and in both sexes. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
BREAST BIOPSY OPEN Thousands of women have breast masses that may cause them concern. These masses can be smaller than a pea or as large as an orange. There may be one mass or many masses. They can be solid or filled with fluid. Some are benign and others are likely to be cancerous; a lot of them are in between. Some masses can be felt whereas some are seen only on mammography. Because not all masses are the same, they do not all need to have a sample taken of them in the same way. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
CAROTID ENDARTERECTOMY Blood travels from the heart to the brain through 4 arteries in the neck, 2 carotid arteries and 2 vertebral arteries. A carotid endarterectomy is an operation in which a narrowed carotid artery is opened up to allow better flow of blood to the brain. The usual cause of this narrowing is a cholesterol deposit at the beginning of the internal carotid artery. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
CERVICAL NODE The whole body is fitted out with a huge number of microscopic channels that drain fluid called lymph. These channels pass through lymph nodes, whose function it is to filter out and trap bacteria, viruses, white blood cells, cancer cells and other foreign particles in the lymph. When the lymph nodes trap a lot of material, they swell. Sometimes they swell simply as part of their job in helping the body fight off an infection. The lymph nodes are more concentrated in certain areas, for example the neck.
It is sometimes difficult to know the cause of swelling of lymph nodes. In such situations, a portion or all of the lymph node needs to be removed. This is called a LYMPH NODE BIOPSY. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
COLECTOMY A colectomy is the removal of part of the large bowel usually with joining of the two ends. This operation is usually done to remove a diseased part of the large bowel, either because of benign disease or because of a malignant disease. Your doctor would have discussed with you the indications for your operation. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
COLONOSCOPY A colonoscopy is a procedure in which the inside of the entire colon can be looked at with an instrument called a colonoscope. Also, if something abnormal is seen, a small piece of it (a biopsy) can be taken for examination in the pathology laboratory. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
GASTROSCOPY Gastroscopy is looking down into your stomach with a special instrument called a gastroscope. A gastroscopy is done for several reasons. This is a very common procedure and your doctor would have explained to you why you need it. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
HAEMORRHOIDECTOMY Haemorrhoids are congested, swollen veins that are called internal haemorrhoids when they are just inside the anus. They are called external haemorrhoids when they are at the anal opening. There are many causes of haemorrhoids, including the following: chronic constipation, a job that requires a lot of sitting, pregnancy, liver disease, loss of muscle strength in the anal area with advancing age and obesity. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
HERNIA An inguinal hernia is a bulging out of the tissues in the groin area. Some hernias allow structures to pass down into the scrotum. The bulge consists of intestine and/or fatty tissue which has slipped into the hernia sack. A hernia may be reducible, irreducible, obstructed or strangulated. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
HIATUS HERNIA The gullet passes through a hole (the hiatus) in the diaphragm on its way to the stomach. Sometimes, tissue around the hiatus weakens, so the hiatus stretches, and the weakened tissue bulges into the chest. This is known as a hiatus hernia. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
INCISIONAL HERNIA An incisional hernia is a hernia which develops at the site of a previous operation. This occurs because for some reason the tissues have not healed to their original strength. The weakened tissue now bulges. With this kind of hernia intestines inside the hernia do not often become strangulated. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
LAPAROSCOPIC APPENDICECTOMY The appendix is a small appendage which hangs from the first part of the large bowel in the right part of your lower abdomen. It is about 12cm long and a little thicker than a pencil. If this tube becomes plugged and infected, appendicitis can develop. It occurs at all ages and in both sexes. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY A cholecystectomy is the removal of the gallbladder which is located under your liver on the right side of your upper abdomen. The reason for removing the gallbladder is usually that it contains stones that cause inflammation and symptoms. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
LUMPECTOMY AND AXILLARY CLEARANCE A lumpectomy and axillary clearance means the removal of the part of the breast containing the cancer as well as removal of the lymph nodes from the axilla. No muscles are removed. This operation is done when it is possible to treat breast cancer without removing the whole breast and when it is the patient's choice not to lose her breast. (It is also known as wide local excision). It is usually followed by irradiation to the breast. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
MASTECTOMY AND AXILLARY CLEARANCE A mastectomy and axillary clearance means the removal of the entire breast and the lymph nodes from the axilla. No muscles are removed. This operation of mastectomy and axillary clearance is done to remove cancer that cannot be removed safely by a smaller operation such as lumpectomy (also known as wide local excision). Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
SUBMANDIBULAR GLAND The submandibular salivary gland is located beneath the jaw and is one of the glands which produces saliva. This gland may be the site of a benign or malignant tumour. A chronic infection may require excision too.Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
THYROIDECTOMY The thyroid gland is located in the neck on either side of the trachea. It produces thyroid hormone which regulates your metabolism. Benign and malignant growths or nodules can occur in the thyroid gland. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
UMBILICAL HERNIA When a child is born the umbilical cord is clamped and divided. This umbilical cord eventually dries and falls off leaving behind the umbilicus. There is much scar tissue in this area and there is always some weakness. Sometimes this weakness can lead to an umbilical hernia later in life. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
VARICOSE VEINS There are 2 main systems of veins which drain blood from the leg. These are the saphenous veins which lie under the skin and the deep veins inside the middle of the leg. The saphenous veins have valves that permit blood to go in only one direction - upwards towards the heart. If these valves break down the blood in the saphenous vein cannot move along and upward well enough, so the veins bulge and look twisted. These are called varicose veins. The deep veins in the leg do not need valves as they are surrounded and squeezed by the leg muscles so the blood in them has to move along. The two systems connect with each other. Read more... ,download PDF (read only) or download editable MS Word Document.
   
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