General and Minimally Invasive Surgery

General surgeons perform procedures that focus primarily on the abdominal area.  A number of these procedures can now be performed through minimally invasive or laparoscopic surgery, which uses small incisions that enable more rapid healing. Minimally invasive or laparoscopic surgery involves inflating the abdomen with gas to create space between internal organs and the abdomen wall.   Narrow tubes are inserted into small incisions, and instruments pass through the tubes to perform the surgery, which the surgeon sees in a magnified view on a video monitor.  The advantages of laparoscopic surgery are many: access to internal organs is less invasive and post-operative pain is reduced, as is the need for strong pain medications.  This means faster healing and a quicker return to normal activities. Our General and Minimally Invasive surgeons specialize in procedures involving the intestines, stomach, colon, liver and pancreas.  They also perform procedures that include the repair of hernias, surgery for diverticulitis and reflux disease, as well as removal of the gallbladder/gallstones or the appendix. We are also able to implant gastric stimulators, which send mild electrical impulses to the lower stomach, alleviating symptoms of nausea and vomiting in patients with severe gastroparesis.  Dr. Steven M. Yood, a member of our surgical team, is the only surgeon in Eastern Massachusetts who is able to implant gastric stimulators. Our General and Minimally Invasive Surgery practice is located in the Framingham and Natick offices.