Dr. Brian Charles Smeal MD FACS

A hernia is a condition in which some part of an internal organ grows through an opening and protrudes to some other area, thereby altering its normal location.There are many types of hernia, but the epigastric hernia is the most common form. An epigastric hernia occurs when abdominal tissue...

To start you off, an appendectomy is a procedure to remove the appendix. if it is inflamed or if it ruptures. The appendix is a small, almost cylindrical organ that is attached to the large intestines. When the appendix becomes inflamed, it has to be removed immediately and this is usually done...

Laparoscopy involves the inspection of the abdominal organs or the female pelvic organs through the use of a thin, lighted tube that is inserted through an incision made in the belly. It is used to locate complications such as adhesions, cysts, infections, and fibroids. The tube used in the...

Gallstones just like other stones such as kidney stones, can be very commonly found. However, their symptoms are not very visible. Someone could be suffering from gallstones and be completely unaware. Gallstones are essentially hard, stone-like deposits present in the gallbladder, which is a...

An incisional hernia arises when abdominal tissue begins to poke through a soft spot in the wall of the abdomen. This type of hernia only occurs as the result of the incision made in a prior abdominal surgery. An incisional hernia may be the result of poor healing, infection, or technical problems a...

A fissure is the tearing of anal skin as a result of the overstretching of the anal opening by a big hard stool. Normally, sphincterotomy is related to constipation, chronic diarrhea (less often), inflammatory bowel disease or sexually transmitted infections that have anal and rectal effects. At...