Colon cancer is a serious but highly curable malignancy. A colonoscopy can reveal: 

• Polyps – fleshy tumors which can develop into colon cancer
• Colitis – chronic, recurrent inflammation of the colon
• Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis – pockets along the intestinal wall that develop over time and can become infected  

Procedure is performed on outpatient basis. Patient is mildly sedated. Polyps are painlessly removed. Procedure takes 15-30 minutes. After recovery period of one hour, physician will explain the findings. 

Colonoscopy is performed to identify and/or correct a problem in the colon. 

2.  Laparoscopic Gallbladder Surgery (General Surgeons Brian Anthony, M.D., Joseph Lee, M.D., David Rimmer, M.D.)

Uses a small light and camera to provide images from inside the abdomen. No laser is used.  

Laparoscopic surgeries result in small incisions, less pain, and faster recovery. 

You can usually leave the hospital the same day as the surgery. Recovery time, on average, is 5 to 10 days before returning to work. 

Symptoms of Gallbladder Problems:

·        Severe pain or aching in the upper abdomen. The pain may come and go or it may remain constant.

·        A dull ache beneath the ribs or breastbone

·        Back pain or pain in the right shoulder blade.

·        Nausea, upset stomach, heartburn or vomiting. 

The best way to remove stones and prevent new ones from forming is by removing the gallbladder. Laparoscopy differs from traditional open surgery because only small incisions in the skin are needed. 

3. Prostate Cancer and Prostate Enlargement (Urologist Arthur Matthews, M.D.) 

Yearly testing is the best way to find prostate cancer early and can save your life. 

Testing involves both a PSA blood test and a rectal exam. If either test result is not normal, a biopsy is usually done. 

 Free Prostate Screenings scheduled every September at Hancock Medical.  

• The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is a blood test which measures proteins made by prostate cells. The higher the level, the more likely cancer is present.
• The rectal exam is one in which the doctor checks for lumps or enlargements of the prostate.  

• Difficulty with urinating, including weak flow; urinating often, especially at night; pain or burning during urination; or blood in the urine.
• Nagging pain in the back, hips or pelvis.  

• Age – As you get older, chance of prostate cancer increases.
• Family History – if a close family member has prostate cancer, your chance of developing it is higher.
• Race – African American men have the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world.
• Diet – If you eat food high in animal fats from meat or dairy products, you may have a greater chance or developing prostate cancer.  

Every year, thousands of women find a breast lump. Most aren’t serious medical problems. Thanks to self-examination breast exams and high-tech digital mammography, lumps that are cancerous are often diagnosed earlier, when they are smaller and more successfully treated.  

Hancock Medical features digital mammography and a stereotactic room with stereotactic table for breast biopsy procedures.

5. Foot Health (Podiatrist Jeffrey Benzing, D.P.M. and Tracy Benzing, D.P.M)
Podiatrist Jeffrey Benzing, D.P.M., specializes in foot surgery at Hancock Medical. A variety of foot ailments are handled.

Hammer Toes – little toes that buckle or curl under. Over time, these toes may hurt and make movement more difficult. With your doctor’s help, even severe hammer toes can usually be treated so you can move more easily.
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Neuromas – a painful growth of nerve tissue in the foot – most often between the third and fourth toe bones. There are treatments that provide relief.

Bunions – one of the most common big toe problems. In addition to causing pain, a bunion changes the shape of your foot, making it harder to find shoes that fit. Don’t hobble for the rest of your life. Bunions can be treated.

6. Bone Health
Orthopedic surgeon Tim Jackson, M.D., specializes in knee and hip replacements, broken bones, and other orthopedic needs.

Hip Replacements – If hip pain is keeping you up at night and making it difficult for you to get up from chairs, stand, walk or use stairs, a total hip replacement surgery may be a possible treatment option. The goal is to reduce hip pain and improve the motion in your hip.
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Knee replacements including the “Get Around Knee” from Stryker.
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Knee Arthroscopies – a scope of the knee to relieve pain and improve flexibility.
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Sports injuries and breaks
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Carpal Tunnel Release - Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. The median nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and fingers (although not the little finger), as well as impulses to some small muscles in the hand that allow the fingers and thumb to move. The carpal tunnel - a narrow, rigid passageway of ligament and bones at the base of the hand - houses the median nerve and tendons. Sometimes, thickening from irritated tendons or other swelling narrows the tunnel and causes the median nerve to be compressed. The result may be pain, weakness, or numbness in the hand and wrist, radiating up the arm. Although painful sensations may indicate other conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common and widely known of the entrapment neuropathies in which the body's peripheral nerves are compressed or traumatized. (Symptoms usually start gradually, with frequent burning, tingling, or itching numbness in the palm of the hand and the fingers, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers).

OB/GYN Health (Noel Duplantier, M.D. and Dimitri Yanez, M.D.)
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Laparoscopic Hysterectomy -A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. It is the most commonly performed gynecological surgical procedure. With the laparoscopic hysterectomy, a doctor inserts a thin, lighted telescope-like instrument called a laparoscope and other small surgical instruments into the navel and abdomen through 3 to 4 small incisions, each less than a quarter-inch long. The laparoscope acts like a video camera, guiding the surgeon as he or she carefully removes the uterus (womb) through one of the openings. Because laparoscopic hysterectomy does not require the surgeon to make a large abdominal incision, it’s a less invasive procedure than traditional methods of hysterectomy.
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Caesarean Section is a surgical procedure in which one or more incisions are made through a mother’s abdomen and uterus to deliver one or more babies.

ENT Health (ENT - Ted Willis, M.D.)
· Tonsils
· Sinus