Circumcision Circumcision is the surgical removal of the skin covering the tip of the penis. The procedure is fairly common for newborn boys in certain parts of the world, including the United States. Circumcision after the newborn period is possible, but it's a more complex procedure. For some families, circumcision...

LASIK Eye Surgery LASIK eye surgery is the best known and most commonly performed laser refractive surgery to correct vision problems. Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) can be an alternative to glasses or contact lenses. During LASIK surgery, a special type of cutting laser is used to precisely change the shape of...

Prostatectomy Surgery Prostatectomy is surgery to remove part or all of the prostate gland. The prostate gland is situated in the male pelvis, below the urinary bladder. It surrounds the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder to the penis. The procedure is used to treat a number of conditions...

Cataract Surgery Cataract surgery is a procedure to remove the lens of your eye and, in most cases, replace it with an artificial lens. Normally, the lens of your eye is clear. A cataract causes the lens to become cloudy, which eventually affects your vision. Cataract surgery is performed by...

What are kidney stones? Kidney stones are hard, pebble-like pieces of material that form in one or both of your kidneys when high levels of certain minerals are in your urine. Kidney stones rarely cause permanent damage if treated by a health care professional. Kidney stones vary in size and...

What is colonoscopy? Colonoscopy is a procedure in which a doctor uses a colonoscope or scope, to look inside your rectum and colon. Colonoscopy can show irritated and swollen tissue, ulcers, polyps, and cancer How is virtual colonoscopy different from colonoscopy? Virtual colonoscopy and colonoscopy are different in several ways:...

What is urodynamic testing? Urodynamic testing is any procedure that looks at how well parts of the lower urinary tract—the bladder, sphincters, and urethra—work to store and release urine. Most urodynamic tests focus on how well your bladder can hold and empty urine. Urodynamic tests can also show whether your...

ERCP Surgery Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, or ERCP, is a procedure to diagnose and treat problems in the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas. It combines X-ray and the use of an endoscope—a long, flexible, lighted tube. Your healthcare provider guides the scope through your mouth and throat, then down the...

Upper GI Endoscopy An upper endoscopy, also called an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, is a procedure used to visually examine your upper digestive system. This is done with the help of a tiny camera on the end of a long, flexible tube. A specialist in diseases of the digestive system (gastroenterologist)...

Hernia Surgery A hernia is usually treated with surgery. The three main types of hernia surgery are open repair, laparoscopic (minimally invasive) repair, and robotic repair. This article provides details of each procedure. What is a hernia? A hernia is the protrusion of an organ through the structure or muscle...

Hospitals are also an essential part of health system development. Currently, external pressures, health systems shortcomings and hospital sector deficiencies are driving a new vision for hospitals in many parts of the world. In this vision, they have a key role to play to support other healthcare providers and for...

Overview Cesarean delivery (C-section) is used to deliver a baby through surgical incisions made in the abdomen and uterus. Planning for a C-section might be necessary if there are certain pregnancy complications. Women who have had a C-section might have another C-section. Often, however, the need for a first-time C-section...

Angioplasty Angioplasty surgery is done to treat coronary artery disease and restore the blood flow in the body. In Angioplasty surgery, the doctors put a thin tube through the blood vessel containing a balloon at the end that helps push out the substances clotting the blood vessel. Angioplasty can also...

What is labiaplasty? Labiaplasty is a surgical procedure to reduce or increase the size of your labia. The surgery is done to improve the appearance of your labia, to reduce physical discomfort or as part of gender-affirming surgery. Your labia are the folds of skin around your vagina opening. You...

Medical devices play an important role in helping patients manage their medical conditions. They also provide doctors and health practitioners with the information they need to follow their patient’s progress long after the office visit is over. Technology is ever-evolving to bring new, advanced developments in how patients and physicians...

Overview Vaginal hysterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the uterus through the vagina. During a vaginal hysterectomy, the surgeon detaches the uterus from the ovaries, fallopian tubes and upper vagina, as well as from the blood vessels and connective tissue that support it, before removing the uterus. Vaginal hysterectomy...

The Indian healthcare system continues to be impacted by aspects of availability, affordability and quality of health services. Given these, India lags behind averages of BRIC Countries. A key area of concern for India is the proportion of non-communicable diseases which is expected to rise in the next decade. The...

Overview Dilation and curettage (D&C) is a procedure to remove tissue from inside uterus. Health care providers perform dilation and curettage to diagnose and treat certain uterine conditions — such as heavy bleeding — or to clear the uterine lining after a miscarriage or abortion. In a dilation and curettage,...

What is a hysteroscopy? Hysteroscopy is a procedure that can be used to both diagnose and treat causes of abnormal bleeding. The procedure allows your doctor to look inside your uterus with a tool called a hysteroscope. This is a thin, lighted tube that is inserted into the vagina to examine...

Laparoscopic Surgery Laparoscopy is just one of the many new and innovative approaches in a new era of surgery encompassing minimal intervention. Simply put, many complicated problems required large incisions to gain access to a very focal area. Minimally invasive surgery gains access to that same area without a large...