Having outpatient surgery means that you will be in and out of Specialty Surgical Center the same day as your surgery. It has fewer risks than more serious procedures such as open-heart surgery, but there are still complications that could happen, and our surgeons understand that it’s scary to our patients! Whether it is surgery for carpel tunnel syndrome, orthopedic surgery, or anything in between, everyone gets nervous to go under the knife.

The first step is to recognize why you are nervous. Is it because you’re afraid something will go wrong or how you’ll feel after anesthesia? Are you worried about feeling pain after or the length of the recovery process? All of these questions can help you target where your fear is so you can tackle your nerves before your procedure.

If the idea of surgery is overwhelming, it may help you to plan ahead. You could schedule all of your appointments ahead of time so you know exactly what day you need to be at physical therapy or your follow up appointment. If you’ll need a friend to drive you home or someone to just visit you at home, start calling your friends so they don’t have to come at the last minute. Plus, scheduling time to see loved ones always helps with nerves.

The next plan would be to get as much information as you can. Read about your procedure and see what risks are involved. Your surgeon knows your medical history and information about your lifestyle (like if you’re a smoker), so he or she will be able to see if the risk applies to you or not. A Specialty Surgical Center nurse will call you prior to your surgery and will be able to answer all of your questions at that time as well. Our team is very attentive to patient’s needs and concerns, so never feel bad for asking a lot of questions!

Now, all of your appointments are scheduled out and you are an Internet expert on your procedure, but you’re still nervous. What can you do? Studies have shown that listening to music before surgery can help tame hospital anxiety. Additionally, you can try to take your mind off of it. Keep busy with a craft or with something that needs a lot of attention. This can occupy your mind so you focus less on surgery.

Overall, the best thing you can do is to trust that your body will heal in the best way that it needs to. Understand that the Specialty Surgical Center surgeons are experts in their fields and routinely do the procedure you need. Trust is a very important part of the surgeon to patient relationship you need to feel secure and conquer your anxiety.

Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.

For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.

A bunion is a prominent bump on the side of the big toe that usually develops from wearing ill-fitted shoes frequently, or from prolonged pressure being applied to the joint at the base of the foot. Depending on the shape or size of feet, some individuals may be more likely to develop bunions than others. Although there are home remedies that could work at mitigating large and small bunions (bunionettes), surgery is typically the best option.

Bunion surgery may be necessary for those who experience intense, debilitating foot pain that interferes or limits everyday activities. At Specialty Surgical Center, our specialists can remove your bunion by fusing the big toe joint, reshaping or removing the metatarsal head (bump on toe joint), or by surgically cutting and realigning the big toe joint. Other methods may be required depending on the patient’s specific case.

If left untreated, a bunion can cause arthritis, especially if the joint in the big toe has sustained extensive, long-term damage. Bunions may cause the cartilage in the joint to deteriorate. While bunions can be remedied through surgery, arthritis and the possibility of chronic pain are not curable. However, there are interventional treatment options that could help with discomfort.

Crossover toe is another problem people may encounter if they do not seek the surgery they need. When you have crossover toe, the second toe sits on top of your big toe. While it is usually caused by an irregular foot structure, having an untreated bunion puts you at greater risk of developing crossover toe.

These are just a few of the complications that could occur if patients do not receive the surgery or treatment they need. On top of increased risks of this condition, quality of life could also go down. Bunions have a reputation for getting worse over time, which could lead to various inconveniences like having the toes rub against each other causing pain while walking, or the inability to wear shoes that fit.

Inflammation from a bunion puts you at risk of developing other conditions and pain. If you’d like to have your bunion evaluated and surgically removed, please do not hesitate to contact one of our orthopedic surgeons who specialize in foot and ankle surgeries.

Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.

For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.

Even though the chances of developing an infection after your procedure at Specialty Surgical Center are very low, surgery naturally makes the body more susceptible to developing an infection. First, the body is under stress, and the stress is only amplified when the patient is nervous about the procedure and loses sleep. This makes the immune system do a worse job at protecting the body from infection. But most dangerous of all, the warm, moist incision wound can be a breeding ground for bacteria that now has direct access into the body. Still, to reiterate, according to the Centers for Disease Control, patients only have a 1-3% chance of developing a surgical site infection.

There are still steps that should be taken to avoid a surgical site infection. Most importantly, patients should follow the post-op instructions on the Specialty Surgical Center website. Vital tips to follow include:

• Wash your hands every time you need to touch the surgical area
• Do not soak in a bathtub
• Follow the regular bathing instructions as directed by the surgeon
• Call the nearest hospital if an emergency occurs to avoid infection

The Specialty Surgical team will follow precautions like giving you antibiotics and possibly shaving the surgical area with electric clippers before the surgery to avoid surgical site infections, but in order to do your part, you must also follow your surgeon’s instructions about handling your wound or changing the bandages.

During the healing process, patients should look for signs of infection. Sudden redness, fever, and the presence of white pus or drainage are all indicators of infection. Call your primary care physician or Specialty Surgical Center if you have these symptoms, because antibiotics may need to be prescribed.

Finally, a good way to avoid a surgery site infection is to keep bacteria away from the wound. This means that you should not shave with a razor around the incision site. Razors irritate the skin and increase the risk of infection. Sponges are also bacteria breeding grounds so if you are instructed to take a sponge bath, make sure that your sponge is clean.

The risk of infection after surgery is very low! As long as our patients follow post-operative care instructions from their surgeon, the recovery stage should be smooth sailing. If you are at all concerned about infection after your surgery or forgot what the surgeon told you, please do not hesitate to call our reception desk.

Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.

For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.

At Specialty Surgical Center, we have three gynecological partners on our team who are experts at OB/GYN care. In order to diagnose or treat a current condition, they may do what is known as a pelvic ultrasound. For women, it is used to take images of the bladder, ovaries, uterus, cervix, and fallopian tubes. For men, a pelvic ultrasound looks at the bladder, prostate gland, and seminal vesicles.

When to have a pelvic ultrasound

Pelvic ultrasounds are great at detecting urinary problems. It can see if the bladder is fully emptying by looking at how it changes in size before and after urination. Another reason a patient might come to Specialty Surgical Center is if they have blood in their urine and need to find out why. Finally, a pelvic ultrasound is a meaningful tool that can detect certain cancers and growths.

How it’s done

When patients first come in, they may be asked to wear a surgical gown. Transrectal ultrasounds evaluate a man’s prostate. First, the surgeon will lubricate the imaging tool called a transducer. As the surgeon does this, the patient will roll onto his side and tuck in his knees. The lubricated transducer is then placed into the rectum. A transvaginal ultrasound is similar to a gynecology exam. Your feet may be put up in stirrups and the device is similar to that used during a pap smear. Fortunately, the transducer is smaller and only goes a few inches into the vagina. Finally, there are transabdominal ultrasounds. This type of ultrasound does not get inserted into anything. The transducer is placed on the abdomen and uses gel to easily move around to see the pelvic muscles.

All pelvic ultrasounds work by producing sound waves to get an image of the pelvic floor muscles. It’s different from X-ray imaging because it does not use radiation to collect the images. Overall, it should only take a few minutes. Our team will be able to look at the images in real time and look for the underlying problem. Based on their conclusions, they will be able to determine the next steps in treatment if an abnormality was found. Generally, patients will not need to get regular pelvis exams unless specifically requested by their doctor.

Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.

For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.

Orthopedic care means correcting problems of the musculoskeletal system. This means that if you have a problem with your bones, muscles, or anything else that holds your skeleton together, you should see a physician who specializes in orthopedics. The bulk of our patients come from people who need orthopedic surgery at our facility. To keep up with the high demand, we have seven orthopedic partners who are board certified in the orthopedic surgery specialty. Many of them are New Jersey natives!

Our specialists perform orthopedic surgeries to correct problems ranging from sports injuries to diseases that break down the musculoskeletal system. Even though our surgeons are experienced at numerous orthopedic surgeries, the most common ones we see at Specialty Surgical Center are arthroscopy of the knee and shoulder; back and spine surgery; hip replacement; and joint replacement surgery.

Arthroscopy is the most common procedure – about 3,000 arthroscopy knee surgeries are performed per year! During an arthroscopy, our surgeons use tiny cameras that provide the ability to see the knee or shoulder joint on a screen. With a better view, the surgeon can manipulate the damaged tissue by either repairing it or removing it, which will depend on the underlying cause of the knee or shoulder pain.

Our back and spine surgeries, like all of our procedures, are outpatient – so the patient can go home that same day. The advantage of having a procedure at an ambulatory surgical center is that patients can be relieved of back pain for less money than a traditional hospital with less recovery time. A few procedures that fall into this category include disc decompression, mending herniated discs, and treating overgrown bones to name a few.

Hip replacement surgery is needed when a patient’s hip joint is diseased and needs to be removed. An artificial part (prosthesis) is inserted where the old hip joint was. This surgery is beneficial to treat patients with arthritis, injuries, or pain. Joint replacement surgery follows the same process as hip replacement surgery. Both procedures remove damaged joints and place a prosthetic. Joint replacement surgery can be performed on any joint (area between two bones), but it is most commonly done on the hips, knees, and shoulders.

All of our orthopedic partners are experts in these procedures and more! If you need surgery for an orthopedic condition not listed, please do not hesitate to call our office. More than likely, we will have an orthopedic surgeon on staff that can professionally treat your musculoskeletal condition.

For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.

The first step to determining whether tendon repair surgery is needed from Specialty Surgical Center’s hand surgery partners is locating the source of the damage. In the hand, there are two classes of tendons called extensor tendons and flexor tendons. Extensor tendons allow you to stretch out your fingers and thumbs to make them straight. Flexor tendons do the opposite and are responsible for allowing you to curl your fingers and thumb so you can grab. Both stem from the forearm and connect your hand muscles to your bone.

Tendon damage due to rheumatoid arthritis, sports injury, or being crushed may result in pain and limited range of motion in the fingers. However, surgery is not always the answer to treating tendon damage. If a physician determines that the tendon is only partially torn, the patient may only need to wear a splint and receive physical therapy treatment.

In most cases, surgery is required to repair tendons in the hand. When a tendon is ripped from the bone or the muscle, it usually cannot repair itself because the ends have ripped so far apart. After an injury, surgery should be sought right away in order to gain back as much range of motion as possible. Even though flexor tendon surgery is more complex and complicated than extensor surgery, both procedures are outpatient and should be a relatively quick surgery.

Whether the patient requires tendon repair surgery or not, our team highly recommends rehabilitation during the healing process. Your surgeon will be able to give you a more exact time frame, but patients may need to wear a splint post-operatively for a few weeks. After surgery or a partial tear, the damaged tendon could attach to other tissues in the hand and limit the range of motion of the fingers. Your surgeon may either teach you some exercises to increase your range of motion, or refer you to a physical therapist that can work with you more extensively. The amount of time needed to recover from a tendon injury depends on how many hours the patient spends doing rehabilitation exercises and wearing the splint.

Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.

For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.

Specialty Surgical Center offers hip replacement surgery as an outpatient procedure. Our board certified orthopedic surgeons recommend hip replacement surgery to patients who are in significant pain and cannot do daily tasks like they were previously able to due to their damaged hip joint. This pain is often caused by rheumatoid arthritis, but can also be a result of osteonecrosis or injury. Surgery is often recommended when pain medication and physical therapy has not sufficiently treated a patient’s pain.

The Procedure
The goal of hip replacement surgery is to remove the damaged hip joint and replace it with an artificial joint called prosthesis. The first step of hip replacement surgery actually occurs before the day of the surgery. The surgeon will walk you through the procedure and answer all of your questions. It may be useful to bring something to write on so you can bring the pre-operative instructions home with you. Tell the surgeon about all of your medications and vitamins you take. Depending on what the medicine is for, you may be asked to stop taking it a few days before surgery. You may be asked to stop eating food and avoid all drinks except water night before the procedure.

On the day of your surgery, you may be asked to change into a surgical gown. The hip is cleaned to avoid injection and you are given an anesthetic. The surgeon might only need to make one or two incisions since hip replacement surgery at Specialty Surgical Center is minimally invasive. Two incisions could be needed if the surgeon uses an anterior approach and performs the procedure from the back. Then, the surgeon will take off any muscles or tendons attached to the hip to prepare to remove the damaged hip. Once the prosthesis is put in, the surgeon will patch up any surrounding tissues that were damaged and stitch up the incision(s).

After Care

After surgery, patients will be moved to Specialty Surgical Center’s recovery room where they rest and get ready to go home later that day. You should avoid getting your hip area wet for about a week and consider getting a walking aid to help you move around the first few days after surgery. We may have aids to loan you, so be sure to ask before you go! Our physicians recommend sleeping on your back with a pillow slightly elevating your legs. While sleeping on your side is ok, we advise against sleeping on your stomach so you don’t use your hip to move your legs in your sleep. The surgeon might recommend physical therapy during the recovery process. Physical therapy can help you gain flexibility in your hips and help manage post-operative pain.

If you have any questions about the length of time you will need to get back into your normal routine, or any questions about the procedure, please call our Sparta, New Jersey location. We want to make our patients as comfortable as possible and want you to be fully informed about your procedure.

Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.

For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.

While the chances of developing a surgical complication or post-operative condition is rare, it is possible for patients to aspirate, develop an infection, or have a bad reaction to anesthesia during their surgery. At Specialty Surgical Center, we specialize in minimally invasive surgeries because they often produce less pain, a shorter hospital stay, less scarring, minimal injury to tissue, and a higher accuracy rate compared to open surgeries. Despite the many benefits of minimally invasive surgery, there is one factor we cannot control when it comes to reducing a patient’s risk of complication: smoking.

Having a smoker’s lung makes it increasingly difficult for patients to be put under anesthesia because the lungs cannot function at their maximum potential. Additionally, although cigarettes are known for their detrimental effects on the lungs, they also negatively impact blood.

Blood is a vital part of healing after surgery, so when it is hindered due to cigarette smoke, the likelihood of a post-operative complication increases. This includes having a blood clot, or worse, a heart attack following a surgical procedure. Having blood that is less healthy due to smoking also affects a surgical incision’s ability to heal.

A study in the Oxford Journals found that people who stop smoking 4-6 weeks before surgery significantly reduced their risk of infection. People who do not smoke 6-8 weeks before their surgery also lower their risk of developing lung-related complications. However, one study found patients who only abstain from smoking for 1-3 weeks prior to surgery did not lower their risk of a surgical complication at all.

Our team encourages those who smoke to quit at least 4-6 weeks before and after their procedure, if not completely. Many patients may have the mindset that they’ve smoked for a long time, so the damage is already done. In reality, the body is always healing and most patients experience tremendous health improvements after quitting. At the very least, we recommend stopping for a few weeks before your surgery to reduce your risk of complications. If over-the-counter products have not helped you quit smoking, please talk to your physician about more effective ways to quit smoking for good.

Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.

For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.

So you’ve undergone surgery, but now you have another hurdle to jump over: the post-procedural recovery process. Your doctor at Specialty Surgical Center will explain what you can expect after surgery, but he may not cover a few comfort-related topics like what sleeping positions may be best after your procedure.

Of course, the sleeping position that’s best for you is dependent upon the type of surgery you have. Nevertheless, we’ve created a quick, comprehensive guide with some of the best sleeping positions for after surgery.

Sleeping On Your Back

One of the best sleeping positions after any kind of surgery requires lying straight on your back. Surgeries performed on the spine, hips, legs, and arms often benefit most from sleeping on the back, especially when a pillow or rolled up blanket is tucked underneath areas of the body for support, like the shoulders, low back, knees, or ankles. Specific details regarding where your legs, arms, and toes should be placed vary, but for the most part, sleeping on your back with your arms at your side and toes pointed toward the ceiling may be best. This position helps keep your body neutrally aligned, so when in doubt, you may want to sleep on your back! Regardless, be sure to call Specialty Surgical Center if you have any questions or concerns.

Sleeping On Your Side

There are instances where side sleeping may not be “okayed” by a doctor, especially for those who undergo certain spinal or hip surgeries. Nevertheless, if your doctor determines it is safe for you to sleep on your side, you may do so as long as you have a support mechanism tucked between your knees or ankles. A support “mechanism” can be as simple as one or two plush pillows or a specially designed foam block. Talk to your doctor about ways you can keep your body safe while sleeping in this position.

Sleeping On Your Stomach

In most cases, sleeping on your stomach after surgery is not advised. This position could compromise the health of your spine and put too much pressure on your hips or other areas of the body. If you’re a die-hard stomach-sleeper, we’re sorry, but you’re just going to have to stick to side sleeping or sleeping on your back until you’ve healed fully!

For more information about sleeping positions after surgery, talk to your doctor at Specialty Surgical Center! He will advise you on what sleeping positions may or may not be best after your particular surgery.

Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey, and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.

For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.

Pediatric gastroenterologists are physicians with specialized training in children’s digestive and liver disorders. They can see and administer treatment to a child from the beginning of their life as a newborn, all the way into their teenage years. If a child has a chronic digestive disorder or liver problem, such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease, a pediatric gastroenterologist may administer long-term care to slow the progression of that child’s condition.

Determining whether or not your child needs to see a pediatric gastroenterologist can be difficult, especially since stomachaches are a common complaint among children. Most cases of a stomachache are normal and usually indicate the child has either had too much to eat, or he or she needs to use the restroom. Nevertheless, there are signs your child’s “tummy ache” is anything but an excuse to go to the bathroom.

Signs Your Child Needs To See A Pediatric Gastroenterologist

1. weight loss
2. Fever
3. Frequent vomiting
4. Severe diarrhea
5. Blood in a child’s stool or vomit
6. Pain on the upper or lower right areas of the abdomen

The above-mentioned symptoms sound pretty intense, but they could vary in severity level and frequency depending on the condition that’s affecting your child. Pain in the abdomen that develops gradually may suggest irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, or an allergic reaction. In these cases, dietary changes and medications are often recommended for treatment. However, if a child’s pain is sudden and severe, and located upper right or lower right part of the abdomen, you may need to take a trip to the ER (lower right = possible appendicitis; upper right = possible gallbladder disease).

The most important thing a parent can do is monitor their child’s symptoms and see a pediatric gastroenterologist right away if one or more of the above-mentioned “signs” lasts for more than a few days.

A pediatric gastroenterologist can perform diagnostic tests and various procedures for the following ailments:

• Lactose intolerance
• Celiac disease
• Crohn’s disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Liver disease
• Nutritional problems
• Food allergies
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• And more!

If your child requires surgery for a condition involving their digestive system or liver, please call Specialty Surgical Center today! We treat every child as if they were our own, and we work diligently to ensure your child’s procedure is as safe and as comfortable as possible. Call our location today to speak to a Specialty Surgical Center representative!

Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey, and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.

For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.