Hydrocele A hydrocele is when fluid fills a male’s scrotum, causing it to swell. It is not a major health issue but it can be embarrassing and uncomfortable. Hydroceles are more common in male infants...

Rectal Cancer Rectal cancer develops in the tissues of the rectum, which is the final six inches of the colon that extend to the anus. Most cases of rectal cancer begin as small, benign clusters of...

An incisional hernia is a complication of surgery that develops at the site of a previous surgical incision. An incisional hernia usually develops in the abdominal wall where the wall of the abdomen...

An umbilical hernia occurs when abdominal tissue protrudes through the skin around the navel or belly button. A common congenital condition in new-borns, it may also appear in adulthood, often...

The pancreas is a large, flat gland located in the upper abdomen, between the stomach and the upper portion of the small intestine, known as the duodenum. The pancreas produces enzymes that flow...

A mastectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the breast(s) in a patient with breast cancer. It is one of the most commonly used and effective options for treating breast cancer because it removes...

An inguinal hernia presents as a bulge in the upper groin on either side of the pubic bone. It occurs when an abdominal organ, usually the omentum or intestine, protrudes through a weakness in the...

Chest-tube placement (thoracostomy) is a surgical procedure in which a tube is inserted into the chest to act as a drain. The tube drains blood, fluid or air from the pleural space (the area between...

A splenectomy is the surgical removal of the spleen, an organ that helps to regulate the composition of the blood, and plays an important role in fighting infections. The spleen is on the left side of...

A colostomy is a surgical procedure performed to attach one end of the large intestine to an opening in the abdominal wall (a stoma) through which body waste drains into a bag designed for the...

Cholecystectomy is the surgical removal of the gallbladder, an organ located under the liver. The gallbladder is responsible for collecting and releasing bile, a fluid produced by the liver that is...

An appendectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the appendix, a small organ located at the junction of the small intestine and colon. The appendix, once thought to be only vestigial, is now known to...