Physicians on staff
 Thomas McGlone, M.D.,
F.A.C.S., (815) 625-4790
 Mark L. Schmelzel, M.D.,
F.A.C.S., (815) 625-4790
The surgery department at the Sterling Rock Falls Clinic is
always in the know about new procedures and is up to date on any
medical break-thru. Listed below you will find information about
a few different kinds of surgeries. If you need a physician's
attention, please call our facility. Surgery can be a frightful
thought, but by knowing more about the procedure some of our
anxieties can be consoled. Please choose a topic below and learn
more.
Breast Surgery
 Every year thousands of women find a
breast lump and fear is an understandable emotion. Whether you or
your doctor found your breast lump, you may be overwhelmed by
worries. A thousand questions may be running through your mind:
Do I have cancer? Will I need surgery? Will I lose my breast?
Your doctor refers you to a surgeon for further diagnosis and
treatment to address these concerns. Rest assured that if your
lump is cancerous, treating it early will give you the best
chance for a healthy future.
Open Biopsy
A biopsy is usually needed to confirm
a suspicion of cancer. With open biopsy, your surgeon removes all
or part of your breast lump for examination under a microscope.
After surgery, a small scar remains, but you'll have little
change in the contour of your breast.
Lumpectomy
Many more treatment options are
available today for women with breast cancer. Lumpectomy is a
procedure that preserves your breast, but removes the lump and
some normal tissue around it. Axillary lymph nodes are often
removed and examined for signs of cancer (axillary node
dissection). Also called "wide local excision,"
lumpectomy is most often recommended for women with a small lump
that hasn't spread to the rest of the body. Radiation therapy
usually follows lumpectomy to eliminate any remaining cancer
cells.
Modified Radical Mastectomy
There are several
types of mastectomy (removal of the breast). A modified radical
mastectomy removes the breast and axillary lymph nodes. Because
chest muscles are left intact, your chest wall contour and arm
strength are not affected and recovery is shorter. Two variations
of this procedure are simple mastectomy, which leaves axillary
lymph nodes intact, and radical mastectomy, which removes deep
chest muscles. Your surgeon will recommend a procedure based on
the size of your cancer and how far it has spread. Most
mastectomy patients can have breast reconstruction, either at the
time of surgery or in the future.
Breast Reconstruction
A variety of techniques make
reconstruction an option for many mastectomy patients. Plastic
surgeons today recreate the shape of the breast and match the
size and shape of the other breast as closely as possible.
Knowing this may be a source of comfort, but talking to your
plastic surgeon or others can help you decide whether
reconstruction is for you. Some women have reconstruction started
at the same time as their mastectomy; others wait several months
or even years. Your body type, age, and the treatment you've
had will help determine the most suitable type of reconstruction
for you.
Stereotactic Breast Biopsy
This simple procedure
uses advanced computer imaging technology. It allows for the
removal of tiny sections of tissue that indicate they required
further attention after showing up on a mammogram but cannot be
felt. The ease and safety of this procedure, typically performed
during a brief office visit, is well-documented. This modern
procedure provides the same reliability as more complicated
surgical biopsy, but provides these significant advantages:
- It does not require anesthesia
- It requires less time
- It is more cost effective
- It is much less complicated
Colon Surgery
 As long as
your colon is performing its job, you don't think much about
it. But serious colon problems can occur, particularly as you
grow older. The alarming fact is that 1 out of 15 people in this
country will develop colon cancer at some point in their lives.
Colon cancer takes the lives of more Americans than any other
cancer, except for cancer of the lung. After age 40, the
incidence of colon cancer increases with age. Within the last
five years, over 600,000 men and women have been diagnosed as
having colon cancer - with an additional 140,000 cases expected
to be diagnosed this year. Fortunately, colon cancer is
potentially the most curable of abdominal cancers. If detected in
its early stages, the cancer can be removed surgically in most
cases. Over three-fourths of patients diagnosed as having colon
cancer live five years or longer if the cancer has been detected
early. But cancer is only one problem that can occur in the
colon. Diverticulosis, or pockets in the colon wall, appears in
about one out of five people over the age of 45, and in three out
of five over 70. And over one-tenth of all adults have growths in
the colon called polyps.
Resection and Anastomosis
The goal of surgery is
to remove the section of colon affected by cancer,
diverticulitis, or polyps. After making an incision in the
abdomen, the surgeon will cut out the diseased portion of the
colon. Then the two new ends will be joined by stitches or,
sometimes, staples. Because the colon is about five feet long, a
small part of it can be removed without loss of function. The
remaining colon compensates for the missing portion. In fact, one
can live very well with no colon at all.
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
Repeated bouts of heartburn, sour-tasting fluid in your throat, difficulty
swallowing - all are classic symptoms of a common health problem
called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD (also known as
reflux disease). The heartburn caused by GERD may strike after
you eat a large meal or when you bend over or lie down. GERD can
sometimes be controlled with simple lifestyle changes and
medication. If your symptoms persist, surgery may offer more
lasting relief from GERD.
Relieving Your Discomfort
You and your doctor can
work together to find the treatment options that best relieve
your symptoms. These may include lifestyle changes, medication,
and possibly surgery. If other attempts to control your GERD
don't offer relief, you may be a candidate for laparoscopic
fundoplication. This surgery combines today's technology with
a surgical procedure that has been used safely for more than 40
years. The surgery is done using a laparoscope, a small telescope
that allows the doctor to see clearly into your abdomen. During
surgery, the doctor re-creates the one-way valve where the
esophagus (the tube that food travels through) meets the
stomach.
Laparoscopic Gallbladder Surgery
Gallbladder problems can cause severe stomach pain and other distressing
symptoms. To relieve your pain, you may need to have your
gallbladder removed. It could be removed through a single
standard incision in your abdomen (open surgery). But your doctor
may have told you that you can have a newer type of gallbladder
surgery. It's called laparoscopic cholecystectomy. People who
have this procedure usually recover more quickly and have less
pain than with open surgery. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy uses
several small incisions instead of one large one. A laparoscope
(a thin telescope-like tube) is inserted through one incision. It
allows your doctor to view your gallbladder on a monitor. Your
gallbladder is then removed through another small incision. The
benefits of laparoscopy over open surgery include:
- less discomfort after surgery
- a shorter hospital stay
- a faster recovery (days instead of weeks)
- tiny scars instead of a long scar
Gallbladder removal is one of the most successful kinds of
surgery. Laparoscopic gallbladder removal is often the best way
to stop your pain when gallstones are the problem. Best of all,
you should still be able to live a full and healthy life without
your gallbladder. This includes eating the foods and doing the
things you enjoyed before your gallbladder problems started.
Laparoscopic Hernia Repair
 Men and women of all ages can have hernias. A
hernia is a weakness or tear in the wall of the abdomen. It is
sometimes called a "rupture." How does it happen?
Acquired hernias are caused by wear and tear over the years.
Congenital hernias result from a weakness in the abdominal wall
that is present at birth. Both types of hernias may get worse or
grow larger with time or physical stress. Laparoscopic surgery is
done with a laparoscope, a tiny "telescope" attached to
a camera. It allows your surgeon a close-up view of your hernia
using only small incisions. The surgery usually takes one to two
hours and you can likely go home the same day. Because large
incisions are not required, recovery from laparoscopic surgery is
often faster and less painful than after open surgery. There are
two types of laparoscopic hernia repair. Your doctor will decide
which is best for you, depending on the kind of hernia you
have.
Hernia Surgery
Once a diagnosis is confirmed, your
doctor is likely to recommend surgery. Non-surgical treatment,
such as a truss (a supportive wrap), is only a temporary
solution, not a cure. It's usually better to have surgery
before the hernia gets bigger and complications arise. Hernia
repair is often same day surgery, so you may be able to go home
within several hours. Once you're home, it's up to you to
make your recovery as quick and as comfortable as possible by
easing slowly back into your daily activities.
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