How Is Knee Arthrocentesis Performed? Pain Relief

What is knee arthrocentesis? Knee arthrocentesis is a relatively quick procedure but may be performed under local anesthesia to avoid pain. Arthrocentesis (joint aspiration) is a diagnostic procedure in which fluid is drained from a joint (synovial fluid) using a sterile needle and syringe.  Knee arthrocentesis is an important procedure used for diagnosing arthritis and …

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Why Is Hartmann’s Procedure Necessary? For Diverticulitis

What is Hartmann’s procedure? Hartmann’s procedure is necessary to preserve the healthy part of the colon in conditions that most commonly include diverticulitis and colon cancer Hartmann’s procedure is a surgical procedure in which an unhealthy part of your colon is cut from the rest of the colon, and the open end of the colon is connected to a bag …

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Why Is an Endobronchial Ultrasound Performed? Lung Diagnosis

What is an endobronchial ultrasound? Endobronchial Ultrasound helps the doctors to obtain tissue or fluid samples from the lungs and surrounding areas without invasive surgery. Endobronchial ultrasound is a procedure used to diagnose various lung problems, including infections and cancer. The procedure allows the doctors to investigate the lungs and to take samples with the aid of an ultrasound scan. …

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What Is Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage?

What is percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage? In percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage a small, flexible, plastic tube is placed through the skin into the liver to drain a blocked bile duct system. Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage (PTCD) is a procedure to drain bile to relieve pressure in the bile ducts caused by a blockage.  The liver makes …

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What Is Laparoscopic Right Colectomy? Recovery Time

What is the colon? Laparoscopic colectomy is used to treat and prevent diseases and conditions that affect the colon, such as bleeding that can't be controlled. The colon (called the large intestine or large bowel) is a part of the digestive system. The colon sits is situated in the abdominal cavity and travels down to end at the anus. One …

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What Is an Adhesiolysis Procedure? Scar Tissue

What is an adhesiolysis procedure? Picture of an abdominal scar after adhesiolysis procedure. Adhesiolysis is a surgical procedure that removes abdominal adhesions.  After abdominal surgery, the scar tissue is formed over the surgical wounds. This is part of the healing process.  In some cases, the scars thicken giving rise to bands or lumps of scars known as abdominal adhesions. These …

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What Is a Compartment Pressure Measurement Test?

What is compartment syndrome? A compartment pressure measurement test is testing for compartment syndrome. Compartment syndrome is a painful condition caused by excessive pressure building up within and between muscles.  The muscles in your arms and legs are divided into groups by thick bands of tissue called fascia. The fascia has some openings or compartments which contain muscle tissue, nerves, …

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What Are the Types of Noninvasive Ventilation? Positive and Negative Pressure

What is noninvasive ventilation? Invasive ventilation: The type of ventilation where oxygen is delivered to your lungs through a tube inserted into your nose or throat (endotracheal tube or tracheostomy tube) that goes into your windpipe. A ventilator is a machine that helps in delivering oxygen to your lungs. It is used to assist with breathing when you cannot breathe …

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What Are the Five Signs of Narcolepsy?

What is narcolepsy? The five classical signs of narcolepsy are EDS, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and disrupted sleep. Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that affects your ability to sleep and wake up. People with narcolepsy have excessive, uncontrollable daytime sleepiness. They may also suddenly fall asleep at any time, during any type of activity. About in 1 in 2,000 Americans have some type of …

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How Long Does It Take to Recover From a Pancreas Surgery?

What is pancreas? Although patients can leave the hospital after a few days or weeks, a full recovery from pancreas surgery can take two months or longer. The pancreas is a six to eight inches long organ situated in the abdomen, behind the stomach. The two main functions of the pancreas are regulating the blood sugar in the body and …

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