Mills-Peninsula's top five amazing outpatient surgeries
With today's medical technology, surgical solutions for various health problems can be as simple as a single visit to an outpatient health center, according to Katy Hentz, R.N., director of Surgical Services and the Recovery Care Inn at Mills Health Center in San Mateo.
“In many cases, what used to require several days of hospitalization can now be accomplished in a few hours in an outpatient setting,” she said.
“Not only is outpatient surgery more cost effective, but with many procedures we can get a patient back to everyday life much sooner.” Hentz said. “The atmosphere at the Mills surgery center is designed with comfort in mind.”
For those who chose to stay overnight, the Recovery Care Inn - now open around the clock, seven days a week - provides large, quiet rooms where the family is welcome, she said.
Here are the top five most remarkable ambulatory surgeries and treatments currently performed at Mills-Peninsula:
1. Hysterectomy alternatives
For some women who experience heavy menstrual bleeding, a procedure called endometrial ablation can offer relief, according Lisa Dyer, M.D., gynecologist and obstetrician “This procedure can stop bleeding all together, or lighten periods in women with excessive bleeding and an otherwise normal uterus,” she said. During the 15 - 20 minute procedure, the uterine lining is burned away using an electrosurgical device.
Fibroid tumors, which affect about 40 percent of women and are the number-one reason for a hysterectomy, can be successfully treated with a minimally invasive procedure called a laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy, Dr. Dyer said.
“The procedure allows a surgeon to remove a very enlarged uterus through a one-centimeter incision, leaving the cervix in tact.”
Women go home the next day expecting a much easier recovery than with traditional open surgery. “The same technique can be used to remove individual tumors,” she said. “For those with severe symptoms, it can greatly improve their quality of life.”
2. Prostate cancer treatment
Brachytherapy, a minimally invasive treatment for prostate cancer, has already helped many men avoid a prostectomy, according to Stephen Weller, M.D., radiation oncologist.
Small radioactive seeds are placed inside thin needles and implanted in the prostate to irradiate the cancer over time. According to Dr. Weller, the outpatient procedure allows men to return quickly to normal activities with a low incidence of complications.
“We've now done more than 100 successful seed implants,” he said. “For many people, the radical prostectomy is no longer necessary with a combination of early detection and this type of therapy.”
3. Breast cancer biopsy
For some women with breast cancer, a new biopsy technique can rule out the need to remove the axillary lymph nodes, according to Andrea Metkus, M.D., a general surgeon.
Known as a sentinel node biopsy, the procedure involves the use of a blue dye and/or radioactive material to identify the lymph nodes that drain the area of the breast containing the cancer, she said.
“One or two of the nodes are then removed and checked,” she said. “If they do not show any cancer, we can safely omit taking out the rest.”
The sentinel node biopsy can eliminate pain and swelling in the arm associated with lymph node removal, Dr. Metkus said. “It doesn't require a hospital stay and recovery time is shorter.”
The approach is most appropriate for women with a small cancer in one breast who haven't had any previous breast surgery or radiation, she said.
4. Pain management
Back pain, or chronic pain in the legs or hips is often due to a pinched nerve in the spine, according to physical medicine doctor Dave Davis, M.D.
“An epidural steroid injection is 80-percent effective in providing long-term pain relief,” he said. “The small amount of medicine injected reduces inflammation and allows the area to heal. The whole procedure takes only minutes.”
The X-ray assisted injection has been shown to reduce the need for back surgery by two thirds in patients already selected for surgery, according to the doctor.
5. Snoring relief
Snoring affects about half of men and 25 percent of women in America, according to the Mayo Clinic. The cause is often bulky or low-hanging tissues in the throat that relax during sleep and vibrate with breathing.
Today, relief from chronic and disruptive snoring can be gained with the use of radio-frequency waves to contract and stiffen the tissues, according to David Ellison, M.D., ear, nose and throat surgeon.
“Ablation to the palate now requires just three radio-frequency applications of 10 seconds,” he said. “The whole procedure takes about 40 minutes.” The patient can return immediately to work with minimal pain, he said.
According to Dr. Ellison, the best candidate for the procedure experiences chronic, disruptive snoring, but does not have sleep apnea.
“For sleep apnea radiofrequency ablation can be used in combination with other procedures.”
To check out the physicians who perform these amazing surgeries, click here