A thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is a serious health condition that affects 15,000 Americans each year. These aneurysms occur in the upper portion of the body’s largest artery, the aorta, above the diaphragm. While many TAAs are asymptomatic and go undetected, if they are found, physicians can...
Carotid artery stenting is a procedure that involves placing a stent (a slim, expandable tube made of metal or a hybrid material) into a narrowed or blocked carotid artery to widen it or prop it open. This procedure is also known as transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR). Physicians may...
Many women in the United States suffer from problems such as urinary incontinence (stress incontinence and overactive bladder), pelvic prolapse, and fecal incontinence. Although there are nonsurgical treatments for these conditions, reconstructive pelvic surgery is a common option for conditions...
Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM), also referred to as intraoperative neuromonitoring, describes a group of procedures used during surgery to monitor neural pathways during high-risk neurosurgical, orthopedic, peripheral nerve, and vascular surgeries. These procedures assist...
Emergency ultrasound (EUS), also known as point-of-care ultrasound, is a technique that uses medical imaging to give practitioners critical information by rapidly and noninvasively defining anatomic structures and function. EUS is usually performed at the bedside simultaneously with the clinical...
Wound debridement is a procedure to remove necrotic (dead) tissue and other debris from a wound to promote healing. Debridement is a naturally occurring process, but in some cases, it may need to be facilitated by a healthcare provider. Debridement is used to treat a variety of wounds, including...
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is an ultrasound technique that uses sound waves to visualize the cardiovascular system. The procedure uses a flexible tube with an imaging transducer, guided down a patient’s throat, to produce real-time images of the heart in action. In essence, a TEE...
Robotically assisted minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is a cardiothoracic procedure performed using a computer-enhanced robotic surgical system. Mitral valve surgery may be required for a variety of reasons, including mitral regurgitation (a backflow of blood into the left atrium caused...
Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure in which the physician uses an endoscope that has a light and a camera, allowing for a color view of the digestive tract. Air is pumped through the endoscope to allow for better viewing. Many procedures are classified as GI...
Cesarean section (C-section) is the surgical delivery of a baby through incisions in a patient’s abdomen and uterus. C-sections may be elective, but more often are performed because of potential health risks to the patient or child. Despite lingering inconsistencies regarding the privileging of...
