General Surgery
Surgeons at Huggins Hospital are committed to providing compassionate, superior patient care and to offer state-of-the-art technology for a broad spectrum of secondary and tertiary surgical procedures.
A general surgeon is a specialist trained to diagnose and provide care for surgical conditions affecting almost any area of the body, such as the head and neck, breast, abdomen, arms and legs, and internal systems such as gastrointestinal, vascular and endocrine systems.The general surgeons at Huggins Hospital can also perform diagnostic tests such as endoscopy for examining internal organs.
For more information, please contact Wolfeboro General Surgery at 603.569.7511.
Endoscopic
Wolfeboro General Surgery is here for your endoscopic needs
Huggins Hospital offers colonoscopy and other common outpatient screenings for gastrointestinal disorders. All services are performed on an outpatient basis.
Colorectal Cancer Screening: Colonoscopy is a safe, simple and effective way to check for cancer and treat suspicious colon polyps. Screening is important because the early stages of the disease, when it's most curable, do not cause symptoms.
The American Cancer Society recommends all men and women age 45 and older have a screening colonoscopy to check for signs of colorectal cancer, even if no symptoms are present. People with a family history of colorectal cancer should begin screening at an earlier age.
Colonoscopy: This procedure uses a colonoscope, a flexible tube-like device outfitted with a miniaturized camera, to take pictures of the colon. The colonoscope allows a physician to obtain a small tissue sample, apply medications or heat treatment directly to the lining of the colon, or remove polyps. Polyps are abnormal growths in the lining of the colon, which can become cancerous. Removing polyps is an important way to prevent colon cancer.
A colonoscopy takes from 30 to 40 minutes. During the procedure, patients may feel some discomfort but rarely any pain. Patients receive medication intravenously to make them relaxed and drowsy. The span of service may last two to three hours, from admission through discharge.
Colonoscopy can also be used to assess changes in bowel habits, such as chronic diarrhea, detect inflammation, diseases and conditions of the colon, find the cause of bleeding or pain from the lower gastrointestinal tract.
Upper GI Endoscopy: During an upper GI endoscopy, the flexible, lighted endoscope is inserted into the mouth, down the esophagus and into the stomach and/or duodenum. Patients may receive medication beforehand to keep the throat more comfortable as the instrument is gently positioned into place.
During the procedure, the physician will look closely for any problems that require evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment. Sometimes, the physician may take a sample of tissue, called a biopsy, which will later be examined under a microscope. The entire procedure is relatively quick, usually taking about 20 minutes to perform.
Upper endoscopy helps the physician evaluate symptoms of persistent upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or difficulty swallowing. It can be used to:
- diagnose gastrointestinal reflux, Barrette's syndrome, and other chronic conditions
- detect inflammation, ulcers and tumors of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum
- find the cause of bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract
Talk to your primary care provider about a referral to Wolfeboro General Surgery.