Dr. Michael Grant Svestka

If you have concerns for appendicitis, please visit an emergency department today. Typically, patients present with abdominal pain localizing to the lower right side, nausea, and vomiting. These symptoms progress without resolution and will worsen until the appendix perforates, if left untreated.

If your concern is serious enough to ask a question in this forum, a formal workup is warranted in the emergency department and this usually includes blood work and a CT scan. Treatment is laparoscopic surgery to remove the appendix. This takes under an hour and patients are usually discharged postoperatively.

This depends on the surgical site, but depending on wound healing, 5-7 days. We usually leave staples for 14 days.

If left for too long (>10-14 days) they can leave a train-tracking scar pattern on the skin. They will eventually lead to additional tissue if left for an extensive period of time as a chronic inflammatory response develops against the suture material.

This depends on the type of abdominal surgery. For routine hernia repairs, same day surgery is frequent. If bowel is removed or if extensive scar tissue is present, return of bowel function may be delayed and the hospital course may take longer, usually 2-5 days.

Yes, abdominal wall hernias can be present without a palpable lump or bulge. You may not feel it due to subcutaneous fat, or it may be fairly small. If you have a concern for hernias, please see a general surgeon for evaluation.

Yes. The danger of a hernia, which is an abdominal wall defect, is that bowel may become stuck in the opening and compromised. The symptoms of this event are pain, nausea, vomiting, abdominal distention, and skin changes or redness over the hernia. In the absence of symptoms (pain, bowel obstruction), the risk of an emergency is fairly low. Once symptoms develop, that risk rises to over 30% and surgery is encouraged. Studies also demonstrate an improvement in quality of life following hernia repair. Please consult with a general surgeon for evaluation. Avoid heavy lifting until then.

For most hernia surgery, no exercise for 2 weeks and no lifting >20 lbs for 6 weeks, although these guidelines may change depending on the location of the hernia and the approach (laparoscopic vs. open incision)

Thanks so much for your question. Gallbladder removal or cholecystectomy is typically done laparoscopically through four small incisions. If done electively, the procedure takes roughly 45 minutes and is done as an out-patient with same-day discharge. If performed under emergent circumstances, it is more likely that a high degree of inflammation will be present and the surgery may take 1-2 hours, and you may be admitted to the hospital. Make sure to stick to a low fat diet for at least two months following surgery.

Michael Svestka, MD