General Surgery

Sometimes you need a small surgical procedure to receive an accurate diagnosis. Our surgeons use the least invasive means possible to collect tissue samples and images that can help you receive the care you need. Surgical diagnostic procedures include: 

• Ultrasound-guided biopsy
• Needle biopsy of the breast, pancreas and other organs
• Endoscopic procedures such as gastroscopy and colonoscopy

General surgeons care for your entire digestive tract, from your esophagus to your rectum. They perform procedures to remove cancerous or damaged areas of the digestive system and improve your health. Common gastrointestinal procedures include:

• Appendectomy (removal of the appendix)
• Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal)
• Colectomy (removal of all or part of the colon)
• Hemorrhoidectomy (removal of hemorrhoids)

Many of our general surgeons also specialize in breast surgery. They may perform lumpectomy or mastectomy to remove cancerous breast tissue. Our surgeons use the latest techniques, including skin-sparing and nipple-sparing mastectomy, to help treat all stages and types of breast cancer.

Bristol Health general surgeons can also repair hernias (a bulge of fat or organs through a tear in muscle). We use minimally invasive techniques, including robotic surgery, to free trapped tissue and repair damage to muscles.

For some patients, wounds caused by injury or surgery cannot heal on their own. Non-healing wounds are more likely in people with diabetes or people who smoke. General surgeons can use debridement (removal of dead or diseased tissue) and other techniques to encourage wound healing.