Do you feel that you can’t so much as look at a bar of chocolate without gaining weight? Or are you one of the lucky people who can seem to eat whatever foods they enjoy without much thought, and never put on a pound? That some people become overweight or obese and others don’t despite having the same diet and exercise habits can be a very real source of frustration for those who seem to gain weight particularly easily. If you are one of these patients, you may find that a large percentage of your thoughts are consumed by food and this can lead to an unhealthy relationship with what you eat.
A gastrectomy is a medical procedure where part or all of the stomach is surgically removed. There may be several reasons why someone is referred for a gastrectomy procedure. The most common in cancer of the stomach. However, a patient may also be referred for a gastrectomy due to esophageal cancer, stomach ulcers, non-cancerous tumors and in some instances, because they are so obese that their condition is life-threatening.
Each year in the United States, more than 600,000 surgical procedures relating to the colon are carried out making them extremely common. Colon surgery is normally referred to as colectomy and is a procedure to remove part or all of the colon, which is more commonly known as the large intestine.
Do you experience a painful, burning sensation in your chest after you eat? It may be triggered by eating certain foods or made worse by laying down. You might also have a foul taste in the back of your mouth or even experience mild breathing problems. If you can say ‘yes’ to any of these symptoms, you may be one of the 60 million Americans that suffer from GERD at least once every month.
What is diverticulitis?
Diverticulitis is an inflammatory/infectious condition that primarily affects the large intestine. Diverticulosis is believed to affect as many as 50% of the population and is characterized by the development of small bulges in the wall of the colon. Patients with diverticulosis may have few or no symptoms. On the other hand, diverticulitis occurs when these bulges, known as diverticula, become inflamed or infected.
An inguinal hernia is a protrusion through a weak spot in the groin muscles causing a sometimes painful and unsightly bulge.
Inguinal hernias can get bigger and cause persistent pain or complications. Overtime inguinal hernias can get bigger or cause persistent pains and complications, such as incarceration “getting stuck” or strangulation “tissue blood supplied choked.” Many hernias are referred to surgery which can be performed laparoscopically.
