General Surgery

Paoli Hospital offers a multitude of general surgery services, including:

• breast surgery for both benign and malignant conditions
• colon and rectal procedures, including diagnostic and screening colonoscopies
• endocrine surgery for conditions of the thyroid and parathyroid glands
• gastrointestinal procedures and surgical treatment of various abdominal disorders
• skin and soft-tissue procedures
• minimally invasive surgery 

Our Team

Our surgeons, all of whom are board-certified in general surgery with advanced training in their particular areas of expertise, are highly dedicated to providing outstanding patient care. They are continuously training in the most advanced techniques to ensure the best outcomes for their patients. They correct many disorders using minimally invasive techniques whenever possible.

If you have any questions and would like to speak to a physician or nurse about your surgery or condition, call 1-866-CALL-MLH. 

Our Specialties

Breast Surgery

The breast surgeons at Paoli Hospital are highly trained specialists in the treatment of both benign and malignant conditions of the breast. Realizing that undergoing breast surgery can be stressful and difficult, our physicians offer total patient care, treating physical conditions with a highly sensitive and caring approach, while at the same time providing much needed emotional support. They specialize in the most state-of-the-art techniques, such as:

• image-guided breast biopsy
• breast ultrasound
• sentinel node mapping (to identify the extent of breast cancer disease)
• new procedures to assist in radiation therapy, including MammoSite®*

*The Cancer Center at Paoli Hospital is the only place in Chester County to offer MammoSite® therapy.

See also: The Holloway Breast Center at Paoli Hospital 

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Colon and Rectal Surgery

Our physicians are experts in the surgical and nonsurgical treatment of colon and rectal problems, from simple to complex. In addition, they perform both screening and diagnostic colonoscopies. Screening colonoscopies are performed as preventive care for individuals 50 years of age and older or for younger individuals with a personal or family history of colon problems or colon cancer.

In addition to the treatment of hemorrhoids, our surgeons are skilled in the treatment of anal and colon polyps, fissures and fistulae, rectal and colon cancer, and other bowel conditions that may require surgery.

Some procedures, such as the surgical treatment of hemorrhoids, can be performed in an office setting. Other procedures can often be performed on an outpatient basis, allowing the patient to leave the hospital or surgery center the same day. Our physicians understand the importance of your privacy and comfort and will do their best to meet your personal needs.

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Endocrine Surgery

Our surgeons are experts in the surgical treatment of both benign and malignant conditions of the thyroid and parathyroid glands. Both of these endocrine glands are located in the neck and help maintain the body’s equilibrium.

Disorders of the thyroid and parathyroid glands can cause significant problems if not diagnosed and treated. Using the latest imaging and laboratory techniques, our surgeons can accurately locate and then excise many different types of tumors or lesions in the thyroid and parathyroid glands through very small incisions. This minimally invasive approach leads to less pain and discomfort following surgery and a more rapid recovery.

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Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Surgery

Our surgeons treat a range of disorders related to the gastrointestinal (digestive) tract. This area of surgery treats of a multitude of organ systems and diagnoses, such as benign and malignant conditions of the esophagus, stomach and small bowel, including the treatment of Crohn’s disease. Problems of the gallbladder, bile duct and pancreas, as well as diseases of the spleen, are treated as well. The physicians at Paoli Hospital are leaders in hernia repairs, using innovative means, such as the Kugel procedure, which they continuously teach to general surgeons throughout the Delaware Valley.

Many of these disorders can be treated traditionally or with the latest minimally invasive techniques, depending on the patient’s individual condition and concerns.

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Skin and Soft-Tissue Surgery

All of our general surgeons are trained to handle a wide variety of problems with the skin and the soft tissue under the skin (referred to as subcutaneous tissue). Skin lesions, including sebaceous cysts and lipomas, are very common conditions that can be treated by general surgeons. Both are benign and can be easily removed if they become enlarged or symptomatic. In addition, any number of painful skin abscesses can be drained in the office or treated in an outpatient setting, providing prompt relief to the patient. Our general surgeons also perform more extensive surgical procedures for the treatment of skin cancers and melanoma.

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Laparoscopic (Minimally Invasive) Surgery

The general surgeons at Paoli Hospital are highly trained and experienced in using the latest in laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgical techniques to treat a variety of surgical problems through the smallest incisions possible. Laparoscopic surgery is intended to minimize the size of the incision, thereby reducing pain following surgery and speeding up recovery times.

Our surgeons, who pioneered laparoscopic surgery in the Philadelphia area, perform a number of procedures using this technique. Almost all gallbladder surgery, for example, can be performed laparoscopically. This approach also is used to investigate chronic abdominal pain, which can lead to the removal of the appendix. Colon cancer can now be treated laparoscopically as well, using very small incisions to remove the cancerous part of the colon.

Based on the patient's condition, our surgeons customize the procedure to ensure the best possible outcome for the patient.

Each year, our surgeons perform 250 gallbladder surgeries, more than any other program in Chester County (according to the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, 2007). These procedures are performed using minimally invasive techniques, enabling patients to experience shorter hospital stays.