How does lumpectomy plus radiation compare to mastectomy for treating breast cancer?

Posted April 02, 2013

DEAR DOCTOR K: I was recently diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. My doctor wants me to consider a lumpectomy plus radiation. But wouldn't a mastectomy be more effective?

DEAR READER: In a lumpectomy, just the cancer and tissue immediately around it are removed, and radiation therapy is used to kill any nearby cancer cells that might not have been removed. In a mastectomy, the whole breast is removed. Since sometimes breast cancer cells (invisible to the eye of the surgeon) can spread into the surrounding breast, it's plausible to think that a mastectomy might have a better cure rate than just a lumpectomy.

What happens during aortic valve replacement surgery?

Posted January 22, 2013

DEAR DOCTOR K: I have aortic valve regurgitation and need to have my aortic valve replaced. What will happen during this procedure?

DEAR READER: When it's working properly, your aortic valve opens to allow oxygen-rich blood to flow from your heart into your aorta and out to the rest of your body. The aorta is the body's largest blood vessel.

What are the symptoms of appendicitis?

Posted January 19, 2013

DEAR DOCTOR K: Every time my husband has abdominal pain, he worries that it's appendicitis. Can you tell me the actual symptoms so I can assure him he's fine?

DEAR READER: Many different conditions can cause abdominal pain. The cause of most abdominal pain is a temporary and simple disorder, such as a pocket of gas trapped in the intestine, or stomach acid causing heartburn. But serious conditions also cause abdominal pain, and appendicitis is one of the most common of those serious conditions. It affects one in every 500 people in the United States each year.

What is a wrist replacement?

Posted December 28, 2012

DEAR DOCTOR K: We've all heard of hip and knee replacements -- but is it true that you can have your wrist replaced too?

DEAR READER: We like to think of ourselves as irreplaceable, but the truth is that some of our parts are replaceable. The joint replacements you hear most about are those of the knees and hips, but surgeons also have been replacing hand joints for decades.

What happens during gallbladder removal surgery?

Posted December 05, 2012

DEAR DOCTOR K: My doctor says my stomach pains are caused by gallstones and I need surgery to remove them. Can you describe the surgery?

DEAR READER: Gallstones are small, hard clumps of cholesterol, calcium and various proteins. They form inside the gallbladder, a pouch that collects bile (a fluid containing cholesterol and bile salts that helps with digestion). Bile flows from the liver to the intestine through the bile ducts. When there is too much cholesterol relative to bile salts, the liquid bile hardens into stones.

Do I need surgery for a torn ACL?

Posted November 29, 2012

DEAR DOCTOR K: I tore my ACL. Is surgery inevitable?

DEAR READER: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a band of tissue that runs through the middle of the knee joint and keeps the shinbone from sliding forward past the thighbone. The ACL can tear during a sudden or awkward twist, turn or stop. More often than not, it's these non-contact injuries that injure an ACL. Between 100,000 and 200,000 ACL injuries occur each year in the United States.

What is hip resurfacing?

Posted November 15, 2012

DEAR DOCTOR K: You recently discussed hip replacement in your column. Shouldn’t the option of hip resurfacing have been part of the discussion? DEAR READER: In the column you’re referring to, a reader in his 50s asked how to time his hip replacement. I advised him to find a balance: “Operate too soon, and you’ll [...]

Should I have arthroscopic knee surgery?

Posted October 30, 2012

DEAR DOCTOR K: I'm a lifelong runner with severe knee pain. Can you tell me about knee arthroscopy? How do I know if I'm a good candidate for it?

DEAR READER: Arthroscopy is a technique used to diagnose problems in the knees and other joints. If a problem requiring surgery is identified, arthroscopic surgery can be performed.

How likely are severe reactions to anesthesia?

Posted October 16, 2012

DEAR DOCTOR K: I'm scheduled to have surgery soon, and I have never been under general anesthesia. How can I be sure I won't have a severe reaction to the anesthesia?

DEAR READER: Severe reactions to anesthesia, fortunately, are extremely rare. You may be concerned, in particular, with a severe, sometimes fatal, reaction to anesthetics called malignant hyperthermia. It usually occurs during or after surgery, but it can occur whenever anesthetic drugs are used. This includes emergency rooms, dental offices and intensive care units.

What is trigger finger?

Posted September 23, 2012

DEAR DOCTOR K: My finger hurts. When I try to bend and straighten it, it feels like it's catching. What's going on?

DEAR READER: It sounds like you have trigger finger. This common condition is named for the trigger-like snap that occurs when the finger briefly locks and then suddenly releases as you try to bend or straighten it.

Surgery