COLON AND RECTUM SURGERY

The Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery provides the complete spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic services for diseases of the colon, rectum and anus.

Particular areas of expertise include sphincter salvage operations for rectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease surgery and simple and complex anorectal surgery.

Outpatient services include colorectal cancer screening, colonoscopy, evaluation of anorectal sphincter function and enterostomal therapy. A multidisciplinary Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease includes colon and rectal surgery as well as gastroenterology.

An accredited training program in colon and rectal surgery, leading to board certification, is a part of the overall effort of this specialty. General surgery residents will take an active part in this discipline.


VASCULAR SURGERY

The Department of Vascular Surgery provides care for the full range of vascular surgical disorders including cerebrovascular, peripheral arterial occlusive, and aneurysmal disease. The vascular surgeons work closely with the medical vascular service and with the neurology department.

Residents will be integrally involved in preoperative, operative, and postoperative inpatient care and in post-hospital follow-up. Residents will learn preoperative evaluation and postoperative surveillance techniques in the outpatient clinic, and will be encouraged to become involved in a clinical project leading to publication.

The majority of the program, and all of the fifth year, will involve the above areas of General Surgery. During their training residents will rotate through the entire range of surgical subspecialties.


SURGICAL CRITICAL CARE

This multidisciplinary department has three physicians representing specialties in:

surgery
anesthesiology
internal medicine/pulmonary medicine
All have completed fellowships in surgical critical care medicine. The SICU rotation consists of daily bedside teaching, didactic lectures and directed study to provide clinical experience in the care of the critically ill and injured patient.

Residents will acquire the fundamental knowledge and technical skills necessary to diagnose and manage acute, life threatening single organ dysfunction as well as complex multisystem failure.


THORACIC/CARDIAC SURGERY

This department performs a broad variety of procedures in adult cardiac and general thoracic surgery, including myocardial revascularization, aortic and mitral valve repair and replacement, mediastinoscopy and thoracoscopy, and surgery of the thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta.

Residents will also receive rich experience in the treatment of benign and malignant conditions of the lung, pleura, chest wall, mediastinum, and esophagus as well as the AICD treatment of arrhythmias.

The general surgery resident will have primary patient care responsibilities in the ICU, Stepdown Unit, and the regular patient care floors and will be involved in both cardiac and general thoracic surgical procedures.


OTOLARYNGOLOGY

This department provides a full range of services for patients with disease of the head and neck, including cancer, benign tumors, nasal and sinus diseases, laryngeal and airway problems, hearing loss, ear neoplasms, voice disorders, spastic dysphonia and sleep apnea.

General surgery residents will learn to do specialty examinations of the head and neck as well as direct laryngoscopy, and participate in neck dissections, total and partial laryngectomies, and salivary gland surgery.
Gynecology
This department offers a full range of open, laparoscopic and vaginal surgery for benign disease, as well as a busy gynecological oncology practice which often involves multidisciplinary care with the general, urology and colon and rectal surgery departments.

General surgery residents will participate in all of these cases, as well as learn the evaluation and treatment of gynecological disease encountered in the pelvis in the course of routine surgery.


NEUROSURGERY

This department provides the full range of adult neurosurgical care from the management of head and spine trauma to a multispecialty brain tumor clinic, an associated stereotactic radiosurgical unit, a program for intractable epilepsy treatment, and a center for skull base surgery. There is an exceptionally large spinal practice treating problems from acute herniated disk to neoplasms and trauma. Transsphenoidal surgery, removal of acoustic neuroma, and treatment of trigeminal neuralgia are common procedures.

General surgery residents will learn evaluation and management of patients with acute and non-acute cranial, spinal and peripheral nerve problems, including critical care management, whether due to traumatic, hemorrhagic, or malignant etiologies. In addition, they will be exposed to techniques specific to neurosurgery, including the operating microscope, intraoperative monitoring, and stereotactic surgery.


ORTHOPAEDICS

This department offers comprehensive medical and surgical care for disorders of the musculoskeletal system, including primary care, general orthopaedics, and sophisticated tertiary care with special interest in joint replacement, foot and ankle surgery, sports medicine, spinal surgery, hand surgery, and multidisciplinary care.

General surgery residents will share call with the orthopaedic surgery chief resident to evaluate primary trauma and participate in the perioperative and operative management of orthopaedic cases, as well as receiving exposure to the subspecialty clinics.



PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY

This department offers an accredited residency program, with one of its two yearly slots reserved for a resident who will do three years of preliminary general surgery training at Lahey Hitchcock prior to entering the program. Special areas of interest and expertise include hand and microsurgery, management of the difficult wound, breast reconstruction in conjunction with general surgery, head and neck surgery, and mycutaneous, muscle and free flap surgery. An annual week-long microsurgery course for all trainees combines laboratory experience with didactic sessions.

General surgery residents will be involved in all of these aspects.


UROLOGY

The Department of Urology has eight board certified urologists and an accredited residency program. In addition to the common forms of urologic disease, the department has expertise and major referral practices in the following areas: adrenal surgery, renovascular surgery, reconstructive urologic surgery, oncology, urodynamics and female incontinence, hemodialysis access surgery, renal transplantation, stone disease, sexual dysfunction, infertility, urethral stricture repair, continent reservoir and neobladder construction, and has an active lithotripter and laser unit.

The General surgery resident will be intimately involved in every aspect of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care.