Areas of Expertise

General Surgery

General surgery involves the skill and ability to care for a wide variety of surgical problems. A general surgeon has completed 5 to 6 years of extensive residency training beyond medical school. Common surgeries performed by a general surgeon include gallbladder surgery, surgery for appendicitis and hernia repair. STSA Surgeons are experienced with both open and laparoscopic techniques.

Laparoscopic Surgery

One of the first to offer laparoscopic surgery at South Buffalo Mercy Hospital, South Towns Surgical Associates is committed to staying on the cutting edge of this new technology. Laparoscopy is a technique that allows for surgery in the abdominal cavity with the assistance of a laparoscope. The laparoscope is a thin telescope-like tube, which allows the surgeon to view the internal abdominal area on a monitor. The advantages of this procedure include:

• Less pain and discomfort
• A shorter hospital stay
• An earlier return to normal activities
• Smaller incisions
• Less visible scarring
• Increased safety in very ill patients

Laparoscopy is often used to correct abnormal reflux of gastric acids into the esophagus (GERD), for the diagnosis and treatment of acute appendicitis and gallbladder disease and many disorders of the pelvis and female reproductive organs.

Vascular Surgery

Disorders of the vascular system can generally be divided into two categories: diseases of the arteries and disorders of the veins (see chart).

Arterial diseases are usually very complicated and almost always associated with atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. This disease state is the most common cause of death and disability in industrialized nations. Smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diet, exercise level and hereditary tendencies are all independent risk factors for the development of blocked arteries all over the body. Atherosclerotic vascular disease will affect or has already affected almost every family in America.

Vascular surgeons diagnose, treat and provide follow-up for this disease process. It encompasses the treatment of diseases of the blood vessels in all areas but the heart. Artery problems of the lower extremities include occlusions, or blockages within the arteries, and aneurysms, or a ballooning of the artery caused by the weakening of the arterial wall.

Disorders of the veins, on the other hand, most commonly affect young to middle aged women, though they can be seen in both sexes and in all age groups.

Venous disorders are not nearly as serious as blocked arteries or aneurysms, but they are very common and very disabling to those who develop them. There are a variety of newer procedures to treat venous problems, and STSA can provide you the care you need to treat these problems.