Your gallbladder is a little pear-shaped organ that sits under your liver. It aids in your digestive process by storing and releasing bile — a digestive fluid produced by the liver. It’s an important organ, but for many people, it’s also a source of abdominal pain and digestive problems. If...
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a common digestive disorder that occurs when stomach acid flows up into your esophagus. It’s characterized by heartburn and acid reflux, but symptoms go beyond occasional discomfort. Many people experience heartburn occasionally. But if you have frequent symptoms, it could be a sign of...
Hernias form when internal organs and tissue push through a weak spot in your muscle wall. But what causes the weak spot to form in the first place? And what should you do about it? As hernia repair specialists, our team at the Center for Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery...
Your ab muscles (rectus abdominis) are two long and flat bands that run side by side from the middle of your chest down to your pubic bone. Connective tissue holds them close together, but extreme strain can stretch the tissue and create separation between the muscles. When that happens, it’s...
A colonoscopy examines your large intestine, including your rectum and colon. It’s a routine procedure, but if you’re stressed at the thought of your upcoming appointment, you’re not alone. At the Center for Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery, Rachel Alt, MD, Brian Prebil, DO, Jarvis Walters, DO, and our team...
The human body has about 78 organs. Five of them — your brain, heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys — are essential for survival. The remaining organs all work together to help keep you alive, but they aren’t as critical. One of these is your gallbladder: a small, pear-shaped organ that...
Your abdominal wall is a thick and strong band of muscle and connective tissues. It wraps your torso and keeps your organs in place, but sometimes, weak points develop in the wall — and those organs begin to press through. A hernia is an internal injury that forms when your...
With over 10 million surgeries performed, the da Vinci® system is the most widely-used robotic surgery technology in the world. It’s precision-engineered to assist surgeons with procedures ranging from hernia repair to hysterectomy. Rachel Alt, MD, Brian Prebil, DO, Jarvis Walters, DO, and our team are trained da Vinci surgeons at the Center for Minimally Invasive and Robotic...
Abdominal adhesions are tough, inflexible bands of scar tissue that form in your abdomen or upper intestinal tract. They attach abdominal organs to each other and to your abdominal wall, and they’re one of the most common complications of abdominal surgery. In fact, up to 93% of people who have had abdominal...
Your intestines play an essential role in digestion. They’re about 25 feet long, and they connect your stomach to your rectum. As food travels through your digestive system, your intestines absorb water, electrolytes, and nutrients to fuel your body. But as you get older, the walls of your intestines often...
Skin cancer is very common in the United States. In fact, one in five Americans gets skin cancer in their lifetime, making it the most common type of cancer. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are the two most common types, but of all types of skin cancer, melanoma...
About 1 in every 8 women develops breast cancer in her lifetime. Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in American women, and it often starts with a small mass or lump. Identifying and treating breast cancer early gives you the best chance of beating it, so it’s essential...
As the world makes advances in technology, robotic surgery is quickly becoming the gold standard for a wide variety of procedures. About 15% of surgeries use robotics now, and that number is only expected to increase over the coming years. Robotic surgery offers a host of benefits for surgeons and...
No one looks forward to surgery. But sometimes, it’s necessary to treat injury, manage disease, and lower the risk of complications. Traditional surgical methods, or open surgery, often mean large incisions and long, painful recoveries. These days, advancements in surgical technology mean that surgery is more effective and less invasive...
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related death among men and women in the United States. It develops in the large intestine, and it often doesn’t cause symptoms until it’s advanced. The good news is that colonoscopy is a minimally invasive screening that detects early signs of...
Each year in the United States, surgeons perform about 700,000 gallbladder removal procedures. Gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) is one of the most common minimally invasive surgical procedures, but what’s the purpose? And when should you consider it? In Peoria, Illinois, Rachel Alt, MD, Brian Prebil, DO, and our team at the...
More than 50% of Americans over age 60 have diverticulosis — the precursor to diverticulitis. Diverticulosis is a common condition that develops when the inner layer of your intestine pushes through the outer lining, creating small pouches along your digestive tract. Diverticulosis doesn’t usually cause symptoms, but sometimes, those pouches...
Your thyroid is a small gland at the front of your neck. It regulates certain hormones that are responsible for essential bodily functions like heart rate and metabolism. However, about 20 million Americans have thyroid disease — and their thyroids don’t work as they should. Thyroid disease includes conditions like...
The human body has more than 500 lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are small lumps of tissue containing white blood cells — and although they’re small, they’re essential for optimal well-being. Your lymph nodes support your immune system, help your body fight infections, and filter lymph fluid. They also play an...
A hernia is a common medical condition that happens when your internal organs and tissues protrude through the tough muscle wall of your abdomen. But did you know there are six different types of hernias? A soft, mushy bulge on the surface of your skin is a tell-tale symptom of...
One in eight women receives a breast cancer diagnosis in her lifetime. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer affecting women, and proactive care is the best way to protect your health. Breast cancer isn’t preventable, but early identification is one of the best ways to make treatment more...
Rectus diastasis, diastasis recti, and ab separation. This condition goes by many names, but they all mean the same thing: a partial or complete separation of your abdominal muscles in the middle of your stomach. Rectus diastasis is a condition that can affect anyone. It’s particularly common during pregnancy because...
When your internal organs push through the muscle wall in your groin or abdomen, a hernia forms. Hernias develop with a combination of physical strain and muscle weakness, and they often create a visible lump under your skin. Anyone can get a hernia and they range in size, location, and...
Do you need surgery? Not too long ago, open surgery was your only option. Large incisions and increased risk of infection and trauma were the norm, but today’s medical technology gives you more options. Minimally invasive robotic surgery is growing in popularity among top surgeons in the field. While all...
Diverticulitis is a colon condition that causes abdominal pain, nausea, and changes in bowel movements. It develops when pockets along your intestinal tract get inflamed or infected, and you need medical intervention to avoid complications if you have it. Most people diagnosed with diverticulitis don’t need surgery. Conservative treatments like...
A hernia is a medical condition that occurs when organs or other tissue in your abdomen protrude through the muscle wall. The type of hernia you have depends on where it forms, and different hernias pose different health risks. No matter what type of hernia you have, it won’t heal...
Over 60 million Americans get heartburn at least once a month. Despite its name, this burning sensation in the chest doesn’t have anything to do with the heart — it’s actually a digestive problem. Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux, a condition that occurs when the acid in your...
Your gallbladder is a non-essential organ that’s just below your liver. It stores bile, an important digestive fluid that helps your body process fats. Most of the time, you probably don’t notice your gallbladder. But sometimes, bile can harden into deposits called gallstones and cause symptoms ranging from abdominal pain...
Abdominal pain — or a stomach ache — is an affliction that nearly everyone experiences at one time or another. Although it’s common, it can range in severity and location. Different symptoms can make it difficult to know if you should see a doctor or wait it out, but some...
Your intestines are a continuous tube connecting your stomach to your anus. The small intestine is about 20 feet long and the large intestine is 5 feet long. Intestines are an important part of your digestive system because most of the nutrients from the foods and beverages you consume are...
About two-thirds of pregnant women develop rectus diastasis, a separation of the abdominal muscles. Also called diastasis recti, this common condition is the result of increased pressure on your abdominal wall during pregnancy. The abdominal muscles, called the rectus abdominis, are six vertical muscles that connect down the center of...
About 1 million hernia repairs are performed annually in the United States. Hernias are an incredibly common medical condition, and they can affect men, women, and children. Hernias develop when internal organs or tissue push through the muscle wall of your abdomen. It can happen when there’s a weak spot...
Thyroid disorders are common, but up to 60% of people with thyroid problems aren’t aware of their condition. Thyroid disorders develop when the gland either makes too much or too little of certain thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism is diagnosed when you don’t have enough thyroid hormone, while hyperthyroidism occurs when you...
No one enjoys a stomach ache. Most of the time, stomach aches are caused by overindulging, gas, or even a temporary viral infection. While unpleasant, these types of stomach aches often resolve on their own. But sometimes a stomach ache signals something more serious. Pain that lasts for several days...
At the mention of robotic surgery, many people wonder if it’s safe. Is a doctor in the room? What happens if something goes wrong? These are just a few questions that might pop into your mind. The truth is that robotic surgery isn’t just safe, it offers a host of...
A hernia is a medical condition in which an organ protrudes through the muscle wall, creating a bulge outside the muscle. Anyone can get a hernia, but certain factors may make it more likely. Lifting heavy objects and other types of straining are a leading cause of hernia. Men are...
Even though one in 20 people in the United States will get appendicitis at some point in their lives, most of us never give our appendix a second thought. That is, until something goes wrong and we require an appendectomy to surgically remove that small pouch attached to the large...
Skin cancer is more common in the U.S. than all other forms of cancer combined, and the number of cases is only growing. Most skin cancer starts when the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun damage your skin cells by causing a tan or a sunburn. Tanning beds and sun...
Surgery can be necessary in severe cases of GERD, but you can avoid the need for invasive procedures by controlling your gastroesophageal reflux disease with conservative treatments. One of the best ways to keep symptoms of GERD under control is to avoid dietary triggers. This, however, assumes you know what...
Are you preparing for surgery? Perhaps you haven’t heard of the da Vinci method, which is a state-of-the-art innovation in robotic surgery. Once you learn more about this surgical option, we are confident that you will find it to be an efficient and impressive choice for your upcoming surgical procedure. ...
No one looks forward to getting a colonoscopy, an internal exam of your colon. But colon cancer kills 51,000 people in the U.S. every year. And periodic colonoscopies can detect abnormal cells in your colon early, cutting your chances of getting and dying from colon cancer. When should you get...
Your abdomen is the area between your chest and pelvis. Many of your major organs are located in your abdomen, which is one reason that chronic abdominal pain is a serious concern. Your abdominal organs include: Stomach Intestines Kidneys Gallbladder Spleen Pancreas Liver Appendix There are some conditions that can...
The medical community has never really come to a conclusion about the function of this 3½ inch tube, and you can certainly live without it. However, if something is blocking it, the appendix often causes an emergency situation. In fact, 1 in 20 people in the United States get appendicitis...
A hernia is an organ or tissue protrusion through your abdominal wall. It’s caused by muscle weakness and strain, often a result of damage from injury or surgery, age, lifting heavy weights, or pregnancy. Hernias can develop quickly or over a long period of time. Most of the time, hernias...
If you’ve been told you need surgery to treat gallbladder disease or repair a hernia, or you have another health condition requiring surgical intervention, you may have heard about the great success patients have with robot-assisted surgery. At the same time, you probably have many questions about this relatively new...
