Endoscopy of Large Intestine Surgery

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Your doctor has recommended that you have a lower GI endoscopy. But what does that actually mean?

A lower GI endoscopy is a diagnostic procedure used by your doctor to inspect the inside of your rectum and colon. While it's considered a surgical procedure, endoscopy does not involve an incision.

Instead, your doctor will pass a flexible tube, called an endoscope through your anus and into your rectum and colon.

This tube has a tiny video camera mounted on its tip.

It also contains a small tool used for taking tissue samples.

Your doctor can use the endoscope to inspect the entire lower half of your digestive system.
Your doctor can use the endoscope to inspect the entire lower half of your digestive system.
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In some cases, the shape of the colon makes it impossible to pass the endoscope as far into the body as the doctor would like.

Your doctor may decide to take a series of x-rays - or even to perform surgery - in order to inspect the hidden area.
Patient Education
Reasons for undergoing a lower GI endoscopy vary. You may have been suffering from one or more of a number symptoms - including blood in your stool, weight loss, chronic irregularity or other problems associated with the digestive system.

Some gastrointestinal symptoms can be warning signs of serious medical problems and you should take your doctor's recommendation to have an endoscopy very seriously.

Luckily, the vast majority of medical problems diagnosed by endoscopy are treatable and you should look forward to improved health and comfort as a result of the information gathered during the procedure.
On the day of your operation, you will be asked to put on a surgical go
You may receive a sedative by mouth and an intravenous line may be put in.
You will then be transferred to the operating table.
To create a better viewing area, your doctor may introduce air into your colon, which may cause you to have a feeling of fullness.
The doctor will then lubricate your rectum and gently insert the endoscope, guiding it into your colon.
You may feel some pressure or tugging, but you shouldn't feel pain.
To better examine abnormal-looking tissues, your doctor may choose to take one or more biopsies.
Small instruments sent through the interior of the endoscope are able to painlessly remove small samples of tissue with a small scissor like tool by simply snipping them free.
Finally, after a thorough exam, the endoscope is carefully removed.
Any tissue specimens removed during the procedure will be sent immediately to a lab for microscopic analysis. Your doctor will tell you when to expect results from those tests.

PreOp Surgery, One Content License Patient Education

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Patient Education Company:

Patient education is critical for hospitals and doctors as it saves them time and increases patient satisfaction.

MedSelfEd set out to become the premier e-publisher for patient education through it's PreOp Surgery Video Centers of excellence 15 years ago and now dominates the patient education space.

• MedSelfEd’s PreOp Surgery Video Centers of Excellence and PostCare Recovery Video Series are the #1 ranked YouTube Patient Education Channel, Playlists and videos.
• Campaign built an 80,000 membership base for the monthly MSE Newsletter for healthcare professionals
• MSE YouTube Channels have more than 75 million views
• Facebook and Twitter community is in the thousands and is forging into new community-based applications.
• Videos in the two libraries have the capacity to be sliced, diced and mashed into hundreds of videos because of the CMTv modular publishing structure.
• Google requested MSE libraries for their original “Google Video” enterprise.

PreOp® Myomectomy Abdominal Fibroid Removal

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Your gynecologist has recommended that you have surgery to remove fibroid tumors from your uterus. But what does that actually mean?

The uterus is part of a woman's reproductive system. It's the organ that contains and protects a growing fetus during pregnancy.

Fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that grow on the inner or outer wall of the uterus. They are quite common - as many as 20% of women over 30 have them. In most cases fibroids do not cause any discomfort and are never detected.

Occasionally, however, fibroid tumors can cause problems. Complications from fibroid growth can include:

    * Pressure on the urinary system.
    * Pressure on the intestines.
    * Interference with the reproductive system
    * Or infection.

Because these tumors can grow to be very large, surgery is usually recommended in order to restore health and to protect the uterus.

Your Procedure:

On the day of your operation, you will be asked to put on a surgical gown.

You may receive a sedative by mouth and an intravenous line may be put in. You will then be transferred to the operating table.

To begin, your groin will be clipped or shaved and the anesthesiologist will begin to administer anesthesia - most probably general anesthesia by injection and inhalation mask. The surgeon will then apply an antiseptic solution to the skin and will place a sterile drape around the operative site. After you are asleep, a horizontal incision will be made across your lower abdomen.

Your doctor will use an instrument called a retractor to pull the skin aside, exposing your abdominal muscles. The surgeon then separates the muscles by making a vertical incision. Another retractor is used to pull aside the muscles and hold them in place. The fibroid will now be visible. Using a pair of forceps, your doctor will take hold of the fibroid and pull it up and away from the wall of the uterus.

Next, you doctor will cut the connection between the fibroid and the uterus. The fibroid is then removed. A series of stitches are used to close incisions. First, the uterine wall is closed. Then, the muscle retractor is removed and the abdominal muscles are sewn together.

Finally, the incision in the skin is closed and a sterile bandage is applied to the site.

Caring for a Male External Urinary Collecting System

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When a man is unable to control his urine for long periods of time he is said to be incontinent.
To avoid soiling his clothes and bed a condom-style sheath can be used to connect the penis to a closed drainage system in which the urine is collected.
This avoids having a catheter inserted into the man's urinary bladder and greatly decreases the risk of bladder infections.
The complete urine collecting system consists of:

* The condom style sheath on the penis
* The plastic drainage tube which is coiled on and attached to the bed to avoid tension on the sheath
* The urine collection bag which is attached to the bed frame below the level of the man's bladder

When taking care of this male external urine collecting system, the responsibilities of the caregiver are to:

* Replace the condom sheath every 24 hours
* Wash and dry the penis
* Inspect the skin of the penis for soreness

Report any problems to your doctor -Patient Education
The equipment that you will need to assemble before starting the care task includes:

* Disposable bed protector
* Gauze squares
* Basin containing warm, soapy water
* Condom external catheter
* Can of adhesive spray
* Clean washcloth
* Two clean towels, one for your hands and one for the penis
* Piece of material and a safety pin
* Plastic storage bag, gallon size and
* Disposable gloves

Wash your hands for at least 10 seconds.
Completely dry them using one of the clean towels.
Put on your disposable gloves.
Place the bed protector under the thighs.
Disconnect the drainage tube from the end of the condom sheath. Hold it up to allow any urine in it to drain back into the collection bag.
Cover the end of the tube with a gauze square and place the covered end on the bed protector away from where you are working.
Remove the condom by rolling it down to the tip of the penis. Place the condom in the plastic storage bag.
Fold the clean washcloth around your hand. Wet it thoroughly in the warm soapy water. Hold the head of the penis up and gently wash the shaft and head of the penis. Drop the washcloth into the warm water.
Use the clean towel to carefully and completely dry the penis.
Ask the man if he feels any soreness and carefully inspect the penis for redness or soreness. Any problem should be noted and reported to your doctor.
Apply a thin spray of adhesive to the whole penis except for the head.
Apply the condom to the end of the penis and roll it down to the base of the penis. Check that the condom is secure at the base.
Gently pull on the end of the condom to make sure it is securely attached to the penis and attach it to the drainage tube.
The connected condom sheath should look like this.
Remove the bed protector. Fold it tight and place it in the plastic storage bag.
Coil the drainage tube on the bed and secure it with a piece of material and a safety pin.
Remove your gloves and place them in the plastic storage bag and seal the bag.

* Drop the plastic storage bag into a thick garbage bag. It can be disposed of in the normal trash.
* Thoroughly wash your hands.
* Wash the used towels and washcloth in the normal laundry system.

In a small notebook, document:

* the date and time
* that the condom sheath has been replaced
* and any observations about the man's penis or his general condition.

Hernia Repair Inguinal (Open) Surgery Patient Education

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Before we talk about treatment, let's start with a discussion about the human body and about your medical condition. Your doctor has told you that you have a hernia. But what does that actually mean?

In general terms, we can say that a hernia occurs when the layers that make up the abdominal wall weaken. In other words, the fabric of muscle and other tissues which protect the gut, develops a defect, or weakness. Through that defect the peritoneum (PER-IT-TA-NEE-UM) - and perhaps other organs - push their way outward, forming a lump which can be felt - and sometimes seen - protruding from the abdomen.

During normal childhood development, boy's testes slowly descend from the interior of the abdomen, down into the scrotum. They pass through the abdominal wall by way of a natural passageway called the inguinal canal.

In men, the inguinal canal contains blood vessels that supply the testes, as well as the vessel that carries sperm to the penis. Hernias that occur due to a weakness in the abdominal wall at the inguinal canal, are called inguinal hernias.
And not surprisingly, men are 25 times more likely than women to experience a hernia in this area.

Some inguinal hernias press directly through the floor of the inguinal canal.

Others follow the route taken by the blood vessels that supply the testes. This kind of hernia - called an indirect hernia - can even push all the way into scrotum.
Perhaps you're wondering: what causes a hernia to develop? There's no single cause. Most people understand that hernias can sometimes occur following sudden, forceful lifting. But most often, hernias develop gradually ...

... and finally make their appearance when the abdominal wall is under somewhat less dramatic pressure. Pregnancy, constipation, straining during urination - even repeated coughing - any of these actions can, in fact, put enough pressure on an abdominal weak spot to cause a hernia.

Symptoms of hernias can vary. If you have a mild hernia, you may not even be aware of it. But in most cases, a hernia causes a noticeable lump or swelling. There may be some pain or discomfort - often increasing when standing, and subsiding when lying down.

Hernias become more serious problems if abdominal contents - such as part of the small intestine or another organ - slide into the hernia sack and become trapped there.

If those organs cannot slide easily back into the abdomen,the hernia is said to be irreducible. Irreducible hernias are often painful and can lead to complications.

For example, if the intestine becomes trapped in the hernia sack it is said to be incarcerated.

If the neck of the hernia sack actually pinches off the supply of blood to those organs which have become trapped inside, the hernia is said to be strangulated.
These are both considered to be medical emergencies and if left untreated, an incarcerated or especially a strangulated hernia can lead to very severe illness and even death.

Luckily, the vast majority of hernias are not considered to be emergencies. However, if you should ever feel a sudden onset of severe pain in your hernia, you should definitely seek immediate medical attention.

On the day of your operation, you will be asked to put on a surgical gown.

You may receive a sedative by mouth and an intravenous line may be put in.

You will then be transferred to the operating table.

The surgeon will then apply antiseptic solution to the skin over the hernia, place a sterile drape around the operative site and will inject a local anesthetic. Usually, the surgeon will inject more than one spot - to make sure that the entire area is thoroughly numb.

Or in the case of a spinal, the anesthetic will be injected into the small of your back. After allowing a few minutes for the anesthetic to take effect,

After allowing a few minutes for the anesthetic to take effect, the surgeon will make a shallow incision 3-5 inches in length, directly over the hernia.

The next incision dissects through the inguinal canal itself and reveals the hernia sack, which is simply the peritoneum that lines the inside of the abdomen.

The surgeon gently pushes the contents of the sack back into the abdomen.

Next, the opening at the neck of the peritoneum is tied and the hernia sac is removed.

The inguinal canal itself is closed with sutures. These dissolve over time and do not need to be removed. Any defect or weakness in the muscle tissue needs to be repaired in order to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.

Occasionally, the surgeon will use a mesh patch to help reinforce this area

Then the muscle layers and other tissues are sewn together and the skin is closed with sutures or staples.

Finally, a sterile dressing is applied

PreOp® Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery Patient Education

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Your doctor has recommended that you have coronary artery bypass surgery. But what does that actually mean?
Your heart is located in the center of your chest. It is surrounded by your rib cage and protected by your breastbone. Your heart's job is to keep blood continually circulating throughout your body.
The vessels that supply the body with oxygen-rich blood are called arteries.

The vessels that return blood to the heart are called veins.
Like any other muscle in the body, the heart depends on a steady supply of oxygen rich blood. The arteries that carry this blood supply to the heart muscle are called coronary arteries.
Sometimes, these blood vessels can narrow or become blocked by deposits of fat, cholesterol and other substances collectively known as plaque.
Over time, plaque deposits can narrow the vessels so much that normal blood flow is restricted. In some cases, the coronary artery becomes so narrow that the heart muscle itself is in danger.
Coronary bypass surgery attempts to correct this serious problem. In order to restore normal blood flow, the surgeon removes a portion of a blood vessel from the patient's leg or chest, most probably the left internal mammary artery and the saphenous vein.
Your doctor uses one or both of these vessels to bypass the old, diseased coronary artery and to build a new pathway for blood to reach the heart muscle. These transplanted vessels are called grafts and depending on your condition, your doctor may need to perform more than one coronary artery bypass graft.
Of course, operating on the heart is a complex and delicate process and in the case of bypass surgery, your doctor will most likely need to stop your heart before installing the graft.
During the time that your heart is not beating, a special machine, called a heart-lung machine, will take over the job of circulating and oxygenating your blood.
By using this machine, your doctor is able to repair the heart without interfering with the blood flow to the rest of the body.

Following surgery, your heart will be restarted and you will be disconnected from the heart-lung machine.
Your Procedure:
On the day of your operation, you will be asked to put on a surgical gown.
You may receive a sedative by mouth and an intravenous line may be put in.
You will then be transferred to an operating table.
The anesthesiologist will begin to administer anesthesia - most probably general anesthesia by injection and inhalation mask.
The surgeon will then apply an antiseptic solution to the skin and place a sterile drape around the operative site.
One or more sections of blood vessel will be taken from the leg, thigh or chest wall and the incision at those points will be sutured and bandaged.
Then, your doctor will make a vertical incision in the center of the chest.
Skin and other tissue will be pulled back in order to expose the breast bone.
Your doctor will carefully divide the breast bone and a special instrument called a retractor will be used to hold the chest open.
Once your doctor has a clear view of the heart, he or she will make an incision in the pericardium - a thin membrane that encloses the heart.
Pulling the pericardium back will reveal the beating heart. Before the graft vessel or vessels can be attached, a heart-lung machine must be connected, A heart lung machine takes over the job of circulating and oxygenating the blood so that your doctor will be free to stop your heart for the length of the operation.
To connect the heart-lung machine, one tube is placed into the aorta and a second tube is placed into the right atrium of the heart.
One or two smaller tubes are then inserted into the heart.
These will carry a special solution that helps preserve the hearts temperature. When all the tubes are in place, the surgical team will turn on the bypass machine. It will begin to circulate the blood as the heart cools.
When the temperature of the heart muscle has reached the proper level, a clamp is placed on the aorta. At that point, blood will no longer flow through the heart and it can be safely stopped and repaired.
To complete the bypass graft procedure, your doctor attaches the ends of the new vessels on either side of the diseased area or areas of the old coronary artery.
Once the grafts have been completed, the clamp on the aorta is removed and the heart is allowed to begin beating again.
As the temperature and the rhythm of the heart slowly return to normal, the heart-lung machine is disconnected.
The pericardium can now be closed over the heart.
Your doctor will position two special drainage tubes in the chest cavity. These tubes prevent fluid from building up around the heart during the healing process.
The breast bone is then closed with metal wire and the remaining tissue is closed with sutures.
Finally a sterile bandage is applied.

PreOp® Gastric Bypass Laparoscopic Weightloss Surgery Patient Education

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Your doctor has recommended that you undergo laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. But what exactly does that mean?

Gastric Bypass is a surgical procedure used to help a patient lose weight.
It is usually recommended to help those who are morbidly obese - meaning that their weight problem has become a serious health risk.

Most severely overweight patients overeat. Food enters the body through the mouth, travels down the esophagus where it collects in the stomach.
From there, digested food passes into the small intestine. Nutrients taken from the food pass from the small intestine into the bloodstream.

Waste travels to the colon and leaves the body through the anus.

PreOp® Small Incision Cataract Surgery Patient Education

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Your doctor has recommended that you undergo lens replacement surgery to treat a cataract. But what does that actually mean?

The human eye is constructed like a camera - with a clear lens in the front. The lens is located just behind the iris. It is contained in an elastic capsule. This capsule will serve as the housing for the new lens. All light that enters the eye has to pass through this lens.

As we age, this lens can become cloudy and gradually lose its ability to focus properly. This is called a cataract.If left untreated, a cataract can grow steadily worse - interfering more and more with your vision.
Generally, replacing a cataract with an artificial lens is a simple procedure.

It usually involves a single incision in the white of the eye. Through this single opening the cataract is removed and the artificial lens is inserted.

PreOp® Rotator Cuff Repair, Open Surgery, Patient Education

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Your doctor has recommended that you have surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff. But what does that actually mean?

Rotator cuff is the term given to describe a group of four tendons that work together to support and stabilize the shoulder joint.
Each tendon connects muscle to bone.

When a shoulder muscles contracts, it pulls on a tendon which in turn pulls on the upper arm bone and causes it to move. When one or more of these tendons become damaged, the arm loses strength and mobility.

So make sure that you ask your doctor to carefully explain the reasons behind this recommendation.

PreOp® Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery Patient Education

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Your heart is located in the center of your chest. It is surrounded by your rib cage and protected by your breastbone. Your heart's job is to keep blood continually circulating throughout your body.
The vessels that supply the body with oxygen-rich blood are called arteries.

The vessels that return blood to the heart are called veins.
Like any other muscle in the body, the heart depends on a steady supply of oxygen rich blood. The arteries that carry this blood supply to the heart muscle are called coronary arteries.

Sometimes, these blood vessels can narrow or become blocked by deposits of fat, cholesterol and other substances collectively known as plaque.