General Surgery
General surgeons are highly trained specialists who operate on “the skin and all of its contents”. A general surgeon must complete a minimum of five years of training after graduating from medical school. General surgeons are trained to deal with complex elective problems as well as with management of trauma and other emergency situations. General surgeons perform surgery by open and laparoscopic (minimally invasive) techniques, and also perform endoscopy. Dr. Kent is board certified in general surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. See the related topics links for more information.
General Surgery is the branch of medicine that deals with diagnosis and involves operative procedures to treat injury, deformity and disease. Minor surgery is sometimes performed in a doctor’s office, major surgery is performed in an operating room in a hospital or surgery center, and sometimes, when very complicated, an operation is performed by a group of doctors or a medical team in the hospital operating room.
General Surgeons are highly trained specialists who are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions which cause abdominal pain. They are trained in the management of benign and malignant tumors of the skin, breast, GI tract and endocrine glands. They also take care of trauma and vascular problems.
The benefits of surgery are usually obvious. Appendicitis, gallstones and many cancers can be cured by an operation. Hernias and other defects can be repaired. In other cases anatomy can be changed in order to control or alleviate chronic conditions, such as heartburn or acid reflux disease and morbid obesity.
General surgical procedures are numerous and involve different areas of the body. General surgeons frequently have special areas of interest and expertise. At Georgia Coast Surgical we provide that expertise in a number of areas in addition to Bariatric Surgery.
Here's a list of some of the most common surgical procedures that we do:
- Cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal)
- Anti-reflux surgery for heartburn
- Hiatal hernia repair
- Appendectomy
- Inguinal Hernia Repair
- Venral (Incisional) Hernia Repair
- Colon Surgery
- Small Bowel Surgery
- Treatment of Varicose Veins
- Splenectomy
- Thyroidectomy
- Debridement of wound, burn or infection
- Free Skin Graft
- Endoscopy
Laparoscopic Surgery
Our surgeon at Georgia Coast Surgical was one of the first in this area to begin performing General Surgical procedures laparoscopically. Since 2002 Dr. Kent has performed over 500 laparoscopic Gastric Bypass and LAP-BAND system implant procedures. He has the skill and experience to perform a wide range of laporoscopic surgical procedures including appendectomy, colectomy, and procedures to cure heartburn.
Laparoscopic Surgery is abdominal surgery that is performed through tiny incisions using video equipment to allow the surgeon to see what he is doing on the inside. The abdominal cavity is inflated with gas, usually carbon dioxide, to provide working space. Small grasping instruments and other devices such as staplers, suction tubes and the harmonic scalpel pass through ports placed through the small incisions. The actual procedure performed internally is the same as those done through an open incision.
The most important benefit of Laparoscopic Surgery is that there are no large, painful incisions. Patients are able to return to their usual activities quickly, often within a day or two, instead of having to spend several weeks recovering while a long incision heals. Respiratory problems such as pneumonia are much less common following Laparoscopic Surgery, again because the patient can move around and take deep breaths without discomfort. Infections and wound hernias seldom occur after Laparoscopic Surgery.
At Georgia Coast Surgical we can perform selected intraabdominal operations laparoscopically. The most common procedures include:
- Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band (LAP-BAND®)
- Cholecystectomy
- Appendectomy
- Anti-reflux Surgery
- Colectomy
- Adhesiolysis
A general surgical procedure whether done open or laparoscopically involves the potential risk for complications after the surgery. These may include the following:
- Adverse reaction to anesthesia
- Pneumonia
- Internal bleeding
- Blood clot
- Wound infection
- Cardiac events
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Injury to bowel or other internal organs
Complication rates are generally very low, but complications can and do occur even when everything is done correctly. Your surgeon always considers the risks of surgery and weighs them against the risks of not doing the operation. Surgery is only recommended when it is the better choice.
After the operation, the patient is transferred to a recovery room where vital signs, fluid status, dressings and surgical drains are monitored. Pain medications are provided and used as required. Breathing exercises are recommended to keep respiratory functions healthy; leg exercises are also encouraged for adequate blood circulation and prevent accumulation of blood in the legs and feet. If the surgery does not require the patient to be confined in the hospital, a responsible adult must accompany the patient when going home.