Procedures
Displaying 1 - 99 of 99
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Surgery, typically for anal cancer, that removes the anus, the rectum, and part of the sigmoid colon through an incision made in the abdomen. The end of the intestine is attached to an opening in the surface of the abdomen and body waste is collected in a disposable bag…
An adrenalectomy is a surgical procedure performed to remove tumors of the adrenal glands including:Benign tumors and cystsMalignant primary tumorsMetastatic tumors that have spread from other organs of the body.An adrenalectomy is traditionally performed laparoscopically as a…
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Breast augmentation, or breast enlargement, is a surgical procedure to increase the size of breasts by placing breast implants under breast tissue or chest muscles. The indications for breast augmentation vary. Some women feel that large…
As a woman ages, breast skin will lose its elasticity and the breasts will develop ptosis or drooping will develop ptosis or drooping , which is more pronounced when the breast has larger volume.In situations where a patient already has ptosis and is considering augmentation…
UCSF is a leader in microsurgical breast reconstruction. UCSF plastic and reconstructive surgeons can offer selected patients autologous breast reconstruction (using tissue in the form of a free flap from various parts of the body, but most commonly the lower abdomen) as an…
Breast reduction, also called reduction mammaplasty decreases the size of the breasts in women with large and/or dropping breasts. In breast reduction surgery, excess fat, breast tissue, and skin are removed and the nipple areolar complex is repositioned in order to…
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Vascular surgeons at UCSF have over five decades of proven experience in preventing strokes with carotid artery surgery and in treating rare disorders of the carotid arteries such as fibromuscular dysplasia. The UCSF Vascular Surgery Program has also earned the highest…
Vascular surgeons at UCSF have over five decades of proven experience in preventing strokes with carotid artery surgery, and in treating rare disorders of the carotid arteries such as fibromuscular dysplasia. The UCSF Vascular Surgery Program has also earned the highest…
A cholecystectomy is an operation to remove the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small sac found just under the liver, on the right side of the abdomen. The gallbladder stores a liquid called bile. Bile is made in the liver and released into the intestine with meals. Bile is…
Cleft lip and palate are the most common congenital deformities of the face, affecting nearly 1000 children a year in California alone. There is a wide variation in presentation, from small deficiencies in the lip alone to complete clefts through the lip, gum, nose and palate…
Colectomy is a surgical procedure to remove all or part of the colon. When only part of the colon is removed, it is called a partial colectomy. The procedure is also known as a bowel resection.
The colon is part of the body's digestive system. The…
A colostomy is a reversible surgical procedure in which a stoma is formed by drawing the healthy end of the large intestine or colon through an incision in the anterior abdominal wall and suturing it into place.…
Increasing numbers of patients have large or complex abdominal wall defects such as giant abdominal wall hernias or enterocutaneous fistulas where bacterial contamination is present. These may result from from an incisional hernia due to multiple abdominal operations, surgical…
Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a type of surgery that improves blood flow to the heart. It's used for people who have severe coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease.
CHD is a condition in which a substance called plaque (plak)…
Altering the cosmetic appearance of the face and body can be a daunting surgical task, as we are performing surgery on patients who do not have a medical problem as such. Careful preoperative evaluation is important to decide what procedure is appropriate and of course…
The Center for Craniofacial Anomalies at UCSF is one of the oldest in the country and has treated thousands of children with cleft lip and cleft palate, craniosynostosis, hemifacial microsomia, and other congenital disorders (including Apert, Crouzon, and Pfeiffer syndromes,…
Cryosurgery freezes the tumor to stop it from growing. This is done with a special probe that contains liquid nitrogen or liquid carbon dioxide. The probe is placed through the skin and directed into the tumor, guided by computed tomography (CT), …
The CyberKnife — one of the most advanced forms of radiosurgery — is a painless, non-invasive treatment that delivers high doses of precisely targeted radiation to destroy tumors or lesions within the body. It uses a robotic arm to deliver highly focused beams of radiation.…
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Debridement is a procedure for treating a wound in the skin. It involves thoroughly cleaning the wound and removing all hyperkeratotic (thickened skin or callus), infected, and nonviable (necrotic or dead) tissue, foreign debris, and residual material from dressings…
Dialysis is a treatment to filter wastes and water from your blood, allowing people with kidney failure to feel better and continue doing the things they enjoy. However, when many people think of dialysis, their fears can keep them from learning about this treatment.…
A pancreatectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the pancreas. A distal pancreatectomy is removal of the body and tail of the pancreas. The pancreas is an organ about the size of a hand located in the abdomen in the vicinity of the stomach, intestines…
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Hyperhidrosis is characterized by abnormal, excessive sweating that can occur in the hands, armpits and feet. For some, the abundant sweating is localized to one area, such as the hands, while others may experience increased sweating in a combination of areas.The only…
An aortic aneurysm is a bulging, dilation or ballooning in the wall of a blood vessel, usually an artery, that is due to weakness or degeneration that develops in a portion of the artery wall. Just like a balloon, the aneurysm enlarges, stretching the walls of the artery…
An esophagectomy is the surgical removal of the esophagus. The esophagus is a hollow tube that moves food and liquid from the throat to the stomach. The esophagus was is composed of several layers of tissue, including mucous membrane, muscle, and connective tissue.
An…
ECMO stands for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The ECMO machine is similar to the heart-lung by-pass machine used in open-heart surgery. It pumps and oxygenates a patient's blood outside the body, allowing the heart and lungs to rest. When you are connected to an…
Extrapleural pneumonectomy is a surgical treatments for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). In an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), the surgeon removes the diseased lung, part of the pericardium, (membrane covering the heart), part of the diaphragm (muscle between the lungs…
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Our long experience with prenatal diagnosis and planning for optimum patient care allows us to offer the highest quality treatment whether intervention is indicated before or after birth.
Techniques of Fetal Intervention
Under the direction of founder Dr. Michael Harrison…
The goal of a fundoplication is to prevent stomach contents from returning to the esophagus. This operation is a accomplished by wrapping the upper portion of the stomach around the lower portion of the esophagus, tightening the outlet of the esophagus as it empties into the…
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A gastrectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the stomach. The stomach is a J-shaped organ in the upper abdomen. It is part of the digestive system, which processes nutrients ( vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and water) in foods that are eaten and…
Gastrostomy tubes are feeding tubes placed through the abdomen into the stomach. Gastrostomy tubes are used to give children formula, liquids, and medicines. These tubes are placed by aPediatric Surgeon or by a Pediatric Gastroenterologist. A gastrostomy tube is placed one of…
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Hand trauma encompasses a wide range of problems, including amputations, lacerations, nerve injuries and fractures. Because the hand is critical to daily activity and work, restoration of normal function as soon as possible is important to every patient. UCSF surgeons perform…
Rheumatoid arthritis causes inflammation and destruction of the cartilage in the joints of the wrist and hand, leading to pain, swelling, and deformity. Rheumatoid arthritis can also lead to swelling of the ligaments and tendons, causing instability and deformation of…
A heart transplant is a surgery to remove a person's diseased heart and replace it with a healthy heart from a deceased donor. Most heart transplants are done on patients who have end-stage heart failure.
Heart failure is a condition in which the heart is damaged or…
The Heller myotomy is a laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgical procedure used to treat achalasia. Achalasia is a disorder of the esophagus that makes it hard for foods and liquids to pass into the stomach.
The Heller myotomy is …
A hemorrhoidectomy is surgery to remove internal or external hemorrhoids that are extensive or severe. Surgical hemorrhoidectomy is the most effective treatment for hemorrhoids, though it is associated with the greatest rate of complications. …
Embolization is a therapy to treat liver tumors by blocking their blood supply. Because liver tumors thrive on highly oxygenated blood from the hepatic artery, blocking that supply may kill it. Embolization is often used to treat tumors not amenable to surgery (liver…
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An ileostomy is a surgically created opening of the small bowel (or ileum) through the abdominal wall. This opening on the abdomen is called a stoma. An ileostomy is needed when the large intestine (colon) can not be used and must be bypassed or removed. The work of the colon…
Inflammation associated with recurrent bouts of pancreatitis causes scarring and blockage of the pancreatic ducts. This produces severe chronic pain and often malabsorption because the normal function of digestive enzymes is compromised.
Pain medications, …
Islet cell transplantation places cells from an organ donor into the body of another person. It is used experimentally to treat type 1 diabetes
Image Courtesy of UCSF Diabetes Education Online
Pancreatic Islets and Beta Cells
The pancreas is an organ about the…
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Your child's Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain removes fluid that collects inside the body after an operation. The soft plastic bulb, on the end of the drain, creates suction to pull the fluid out. The bulb will not work if it gets too full, and thus must be emptied periodically.
How…
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The Kasai procedure involves removing the blocked bile ducts and gallbladder and replacing them with a segment of your child's own small intestine. This segment of intestine is sewn to the liver and functions as a new extrahepatic bile duct system.
The operation will be…
Chronic kidney disease is a major health concern in this country afflicting more than eight million Americans. When kidney function declines to a certain level, patients have end-stage renal disease and require either dialysis or transplantation to sustain their life.…
Our Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program is one of the oldest and most experienced kidney transplant programs in the United States. Helping kids with end-stage kidney disease return to normal life through kidney transplants is our goal.
More than 500 transplants have…
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With Lap-band surgery, an adjustable silicone band is placed around the upper part of the stomach to create a stomach pouch that can hold only small amounts of food. Lap-band is a purely restrictive procedure.
In the graphic above, the lower, larger…
For over a decade, UCSF transplant surgeons have performed a minimally invasive procedure known as a laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. A nephrectomy is the removal of a kidney.
In a laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, a kidney is transplanted from…
The "Roux-en-Y gastric bypass" (RYGB) is considered the "gold standard" for weight-loss surgery by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the National Institutes of Health.
RYGB works by restricting food intake…
Laparoscopic surgery is performed using general anesthesia. The surgeon makes several small incisions in the lower abdomen and inserts a laparoscope-a thin tube with a tiny video camera attached to one end. The camera sends a magnified image from inside the body to a monitor,…
In a sleeve gastrectomy, also known as a vertical sleeve gastrectomy or gastric sleeve procedure, the outer margin of the stomach is removed to restrict food intake, leaving a sleeve of stomach, roughly the size and shape of a banana, and the pylorus,…
Laparoscopic surgery is performed using general anesthesia. The surgeon makes several small incisions in the abdomen and inserts a laparoscope-a thin tube with a tiny video camera attached to one end. The camera projects a magnified image of inside the abdomen to a monitor,…
What is a liver biopsy?
A liver biopsy is a procedure that involves taking a small piece of liver tissue for examination with a microscope for signs of damage or disease. The three types of liver biopsy are the following:
Percutaneous biopsy—the most common type of liver…
A liver resection is the surgical removal of all or a portion of the liver. It is also referred to as a hepatectomy, full or partial. A complete liver resection is performed in the setting of a transplant a diseased liver is removed from a…
A liver transplant is an operation that replaces a patient's diseased liver with a whole or partial healthy liver from another person. This article explains the current indications for liver transplantation, types of donor livers, the operation itself, and the…
The UCSF Liver Transplant Program is one of the nation's leading liver transplant centers for both children and adults and has been designated a "Center of Excellence" by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Children who receive livers at UCSF have…
Additional reference at UCSF Health: https://www.ucsfhealth.org/lp/living-organ-donorsAs kidneys become diseased, they lose their ability to function, a condition called end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or kidney failure. Treatments for kidney failure are hemodialysis, a…
There are two types of long term intravenous catheters that are surgically placed in patients who need to receive intravenous infusions of medication, blood products or nutrition or who may require frequent blood…
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) results from the build-up of plaque (atherosclerosis) in the arteries of the legs. For most people with PAD, symptoms may be mild or absent, and no treatment of the artery blockages is required. However as these blockages become more extensive…
A lung transplant is surgery to remove a person's diseased lung and replace it with a healthy lung from a deceased donor.
Lung transplants are used for people who are likely to die from lung disease within 1 to 2 years. Their conditions are so severe that other treatments…
A lymphadenectomy, also known as lymph node dissection, is a surgical procedure to remove one or more lymph nodes or groups of lymph nodes, which are then evaluated for the presence of cancer. It is important to know whether cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and to remove…
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For more than 50 years, pectus excavatum has been corrected by major surgical reconstruction through the use of either the Nuss or Ravitch procedures. Both of these procedures require big operations and hospitalization for pain management.
In an effort to make the pectus…
Mediastinoscopy is a surgical procedure to look at the organs, tissues, and lymph nodes between the lungs, an area called the mediastinum for abnormal areas. The procedure enables visualization of the contents of the mediastinum, usually for the purpose of…
The mesenteric arteries supply blood to the large and small intestines. When one or more of the mesenteric arteries narrow or become blocked, blood flow is restricted and the intestines fail to get enough oxygen. This is called ischemia - an inadequate blood supply (…
Microvascular surgery is performed on very small blood vessels, typically 3 to 5 millimeters in diameter, using an operating microscope, specialized surgical instruments, and tiny needles with ultrafine sutures.
Microvascular surgery is used to reattach…
While some liver tumors can be removed surgically, the majority are inoperable and must be treated by alternative means. One such method is ablation (tissue destruction), a surgical procedure traditionally performed using a number of …
"UCSF offers the full range of minimally invasive approaches for aortic valve repair and replacement, a mini-thoracotomy or hemi-sternotomy, each using a small 2-3" incision. The benefits are significant including less post-operative pain at the …
"UCSF offers a minimally invasive approaches for Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Closure. The operation is performed using a small 4-6 cm incision through the small space between the ribs. The benefits are significant including less post-operative pain at…
"UCSF offers the full range of minimally invasive approaches for mitral valve repair and replacement using a small 4-6 cm incision. The benefits are significant including less post-operative pain at the incision site, a shorter hospital stay…
The modified Ravitch procedure requires exposure of the sternum and surrounding area, removal of abnormal cartilages, and fixation of the sternum in a more normal position with a metal bar. This metal bar remains in place for at least a year, and then is removed with another…
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A NIssen fundoplication is the definitive surgical treatment for GERD where medical therapy has failed and to acheive a permanent solution to the problem of acid reflux backup into the stomach.
During the Nissen fundoplication, the upper part of the…
Treatment for hypoplastic left heart syndrome requires either a three-step surgical procedure called staged palliation or a heart transplant. Staged palliation is considered one of the major achievements of congenital heart surgery in recent years. The survival rate for…
The Nuss procedure also aims to force the sternum forward and hold it there with an implanted steel bar, but without making a big incision to resect the abnormal cartilage. In this procedure, the curved steel bar is placed under the sternum through two small incisions on the…
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Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in the United States, posing a great health challenge to our society. Obese children and adolescents are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other serious health…
Open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair is surgery to fix a widened part in the aorta, called an aneurysm. The aorta is the large artery that carries blood to your abdomen (belly), pelvis, and legs. An aortic aneurysm is when part of this artery becomes too large or balloons…
In open hernia repair, also called herniorrhaphy, a person is given local anesthesia in the abdomen or spine to numb the area, general anesthesia to sedate or help the person sleep, or a combination of the two. Then the surgeon makes an incision in the groin, moves the hernia…
If the mitral valve becomes diseased or damaged, it may be surgically repaired to restore function. Mitral valves also may be replaced with an artificial or natural valve. However, research has shown that there are many advantages of surgically repairing, rather than replacing…
In open hernia repair, also called herniorrhaphy, a person is given general anesthesia to sedate or help the person sleep, and this is often augmented with epidural anesthesia to improve recovery time and pain control. Then the surgeon makes an incision on the abdomen,…
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The pancreas is an organ about the size of a hand located in the abdomen in the vicinity of the stomach, intestines, and other organs. It lies behind the stomach and in front of the spine. The pancreas produces juices that help digest food and hormones such as…
A pancreatectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the pancreas. The pancreas is an organ about the size of a hand located in the abdomen in the vicinity of the stomach, intestines, and other organs. It lies behind the stomach and in front of the spine. The…
Parathyroidectomy is the surgical removal of one or more parathyroid glands.The parathyroid glands are four rice-sized glands located on back of the thyroid gland in the neck. The parathyroid glands make parathyroid hormone (PTH), which controls the levels of calcium in the…
What is peritoneal dialysis and how does it work?
Peritoneal dialysis is a treatment for kidney failure that uses the lining of your abdomen, or belly, to filter your blood inside your body. Doctors call this lining the peritoneum. A doctor will place a soft tube, called a…
Portal vein embolization (PVE) is a procedure that induces regrowth on one side of the liver in advance of a planned hepatic resection on the other side. The procedure is frequently used in primary liver cancer (hepatocellular…
Patients who have undergone bariatric surgery often find they have "deflated" skin in many areas of their body including the face, arms, breasts, abdomen, and thighs, particularly in those who have lost more than 100 lbs.
Impact of Bariatric Surgery
Surgery that restricts…
Sanziana Roman MD and Julie Ann Sosa MD MA are among a select few endocrine surgeons in the country who use small incisions to remove adrenal tumors through the back. This avoids painful abdominal incisions and results in a shorter, less invasive operation with faster…
Some patients with abdominal wall hernias have such large hernias that they are called "giant" hernias, commonly defined as a hernia greater than 10 cm in any dimension. These giant hernias can also be associated with loss of domain. When there is loss of domain, the abdominal…
Surgery to remove the colon and rectum is called a proctocolectomy. This is the standard surgical procedure for patients with ulcerative colitis where medical therapy has failed or serious life-threatening complications have ensued.
Proctocolectomy is followed by either:
Ileal…
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Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive treatment, one of several types of ablation therapy, where surgery is not a good option. Guided by imaging, a thin needle or probe is inserted through the skin and into the tumor.The probe…
In revisional bariatric surgery, surgeons modify or repair an earlier operation. Patients whose previous bariatric surgery produced undesirable or disappointing outcomes are possible candidates for revisional surgery.
Background…
UCSF is one of the few centers in the U.S. and world-wide using a specialized surgical shunt to treat portal hypertension. The surgical procedure utlilizes a Rex shunt, also known as a meso-portal shunt, to restore normal blood flow back to the liver in patients who have…
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A splenectomy is an operation to remove the spleen. The spleen plays a role in immunity against bacterial infections. The spleen is in the uppermost area of the left side of the abdomen, just under the diaphragm.
Splenectomy is rarely an emergency and can be scheduled…
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Robotic Surgery Suite consisting of a surgeon console with hand controls, a movable patient cart with robotic arms and the vision cart display Magnified 3-D HD Images Photo courtesy of Intuitive Surgical
UCSF thoracic surgeons are pioneers in the field of robotic-…
The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ composed of two cone-like lobes or wings connected via the isthmus. The gland regulates metabolism by secreting hormones. When diseases affect the thyroid, its size or activity may become abnormal.
What is a Thyroidectomy?
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UCSF colorectal surgeons now offer a minimally invasive procedure called Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEM) for removal of rectal tumors and early stage rectal cancers. TEM is available only at a select group of instiutions nationwide. …
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Upper GI endoscopy is a procedure in which a doctor uses an endoscope—a long, flexible tube with a camera—to see the lining of your upper GI tract. A gastroenterologist, surgeon, or other trained health care provider performs the procedure, most often while you…
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A vascular access is a hemodialysis patient’s lifeline, because it makes life-saving hemodialysis treatments possible. Hemodialysis is a treatment for kidney failure that uses a machine to send the patient’s blood through a filter, called a dialyzer, outside the body. The…
A ventricular assist device (VAD) is a mechanical pump that's used to support heart function and blood flow in people who have weakened hearts.
The device takes blood from a lower chamber of the heart and helps pump it to the body and vital organs, just as a healthy heart…
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The Whipple Procedure, known as a a pancreaticoduodenectomy, is performed to treat the following conditions:Cancer of the ampulla of Vater (Ampullary Cancer)Cancer of the distal (lower portion) of the bile ductChronic PancreatitisDuodenal cancerNeuroendocrine (Islet Cell)…
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Radioembolization also known as selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT), is a form of radiation therapy used to selected patients who are not candidates for surgery due to the location of their tumors or their performance (health) status. …