Fall General Surgery LLC

Gallbladder Disease – Treatment and Surgical Options with daVinci® Single-Site

Gallbladder The gallbladder is located below your liver in the right upper abdomen. The liver produces the bile, a fluid that helps digest fat. The gallbladder then stores the bile, and releases it to the intestine when needed to help with digestion. Sometimes the gallbladder may need to be removed for various reasons, but rest assured that we can actually live without the gallbladder because the bile can reach our intestine in other ways. Where is it? Located under your liver in the right upper abdomen The bile duct connects it to the

Tags: ashland wi, da vinci, duluth mn, gallbladder removal, minimally invasive, robot, robotic, surgery|

Introducing the da Vinci® XiTM Surgical System

Fall General Surgery and Ashland Memorial Medical Center is pleased to announce the recent acquisition of the da Vinci Xi Surgical System. The da Vinci Xi System was designed with the goal of further advancing the technology used in minimally invasive surgery. The System can be used across a spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures and has been optimized for multi-quadrant surgeries in the areas of gynecology, urology, thoracic, cardiac and general surgery. By enabling efficient access throughout the abdomen or chest, the da Vinci Xi System expands upon core da Vinci System features, including wristed instruments, 3D-HD visualization, intuitive motion,

Tags: gall bladder removal, hernia surgery, robotic surgery|

Chronic Abdomen Pain

Narcotics - The Solution or the Problem? Fall General Surgery has the privilege of treating, among many things, chronic abdominal pain. By “chronic” we refer to the existence of symptoms over several weeks, months, or even years. Symptoms may be localized or generalized. Alternation of bowel function, nausea, and/or vomiting may or may not accompany complaints of constant or cramping abdominal pain. Commonly, this syndrome has a predilection toward young females. Excessive co-existence of stress may add to the clinical picture and challenge diagnostic and therapeutic options. Often times, previous surgery has been performed raising concerns

Tags: abdominal pain, abdominal pain right side, chronic abdomen pain, lower abdominal pain, lower left abdominal pain, narcotics, symptoms, upper abdominal pain|

Tanning, Sunburn, and Skin Cancer

Deep tans mean damaged skin and could lead to skin cancer Over 400 years ago Copernicus declared the sun was the center of our universe. For some centuries, a light skin defined the “upper class,” while darker skin defined the outdoor, working class. Women of ancient Greece and Rome used lead paints and chalks and later, arsenic-containing compounds to lighten their skin, often with deadly results. Over time however, with changing fashion, life styles and economies, a tanned skin was increasingly sought after for its cosmetic appeal. A sun tan became a symbol of wealth and

Tags: beach tanning, damaged skin, deep tan, freckles, melanoma, prevention, skin cancer, skin cancer facts, skin cancer moles, skin cancer signs, skin health, squamous cell carcinoma, sunburn, sunglasses, sunscreen, tanning, uv exposure, uv rays|

Diverticular Disease, a Common Problem

Do you have “tics” in your colon? If you have significant abdominal pain, seek the advice of Dr. Fall. Diverticula are sac-like protrusions of the wall of the colon (large bowel). Causes of this condition probably are related to a low fiber diet and altered motility of the colon. There has been a dramatic increase in this disease over the past fifty years and is much more common in industrialized nations. Diverticulosis is rare below age 35 but affects 65% of our population by age 80. The natural history of diverticular disease includes no symptoms or may progress from

Tags: abdominal pain, appendicitis, bowel obstruction, colon, colon health, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, gastric ulcer, laprasocpy, non-invasive, tics|

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy found in women. One of every 8-10 women will be affected. Though much more rare, men also may develop the disease. There are various types of breast cancer: Ductal and lobular carcinoma in situ (earliest of cancers) Infiltrating ductal carcinoma (80% of all breast cancer) Infiltrating lobular carcinoma (10-15%) Inflammatory carcinoma (1% but aggressive) Breast cancer may present in various “stages,” i.e. stage 0, 1, 2, 3 (A-B) and stage 4. Proper treatment of your breast cancer relates to these stages. Surgical treatment options have been controversial over the years.

Tags: breast, breast cancer, breast exam, carcinoma, lymph nodes, mammogram, mastectomy|

The Sun, Your Skin, and Skin Cancer

During the summer months and times of intense UV rays, it's very important to take care of your body's largest organ. The skin. A previously written Fall Report discussed skin tanning and sunburn and the increased risk of skin cancer as it relates to excess ultraviolet light exposure. Some little known facts: More than a million people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with skin cancer each year. One person dies every hour from skin cancer, primarily melanoma. There are more new cases of skin cancer each year than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast,

Tags: basal cell carcinoma, prevention, skin cancer facts, skin cancer moles, skin cancer pictures, skin cancer signs, skin cancer symptoms, skin cancer types, squamous cell carcinoma, sunburn|

The Gall of It All

The Gallbladder - Function, Anatomy, and Disease States The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped organ located in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. Its function is to store, concentrate, and secrete bile in response to eating (particularly a fatty meal). The likelihood of gallbladder disease may be increased with a family history, pregnancy, race (Native Americans), and perhaps with equated serum cholesterol. Though gallbladder disease is most common in the middle age group, it also can be seen in children and in the aged. Fall General Surgery has removed the gallbladder in patients as young

Tags: biliary colic, bowel obstruction, cholecystitis, gallbladder, gallstones, infection, jaundice, laparoscopic, non-invasive, pancreatitis, perforate, removal, surgery|

Cancer of the Colon

New, less-invasive surgical options are offered to patients with Colon Cancer Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer of men and women in the United States. Approximately 150,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. About 60,000 people die of this disease annually. Risk factors include aging, a diet high in meat and fat, physical inactivity, alcohol and nicotine consumption, family history, and a personal history of polyps or inflammatory bowel disease. Surgery is the initial mainstay of treatment. Recently, Fall General Surgery has been offering, to some patients, a hand assisted laparoscopic partial colectomy. Using

Tags: colon cancer, colonoscopy, colorectal, exam, inflammatory bowel disease, laparoscopic, large intestine, non-invasive, polyps, removal, surgery|