General Surgery

Every year about 15 million Americans* have surgery to diagnose and treat disease and injury. General surgeons focus on surgical treatment of abdominal organs including the intestines, esophagus, stomach, colon, liver and gallbladder. Other procedures they may perform include surgery of the thyroid gland, hernia, vascular system, breast and chest.

Some surgeries that formerly required a large incision now can be done using a series of small cuts. This means less scarring and a quicker recovery. These incisions allow surgeons to insert a thin tube with a camera (a laparoscope) into the body to help them see. Then, they use small tools to do the surgery. This type of surgery is called laparoscopic surgery. Removal of the gall bladder, for example, is one example of a common laparoscopic surgery that formerly required a large incision.

At Pacific Medical Centers your general surgeon and professional staff will discuss your procedure with you and answer any questions you may have. They will talk to you about the procedure itself, what the anesthesia and surgery will involve and what you can expect during recovery. They will also work with your primary care provider in coordinating your treatment and continued care.

Our surgeons meet with patients at four of our conveniently located clinics – in the First Hill and Northgate neighborhoods of Seattle, and also in Totem Lake and Renton. The procedures are performed at Virginia Mason Medical Center and Swedish Hospital, widely considered among the finest facilities in the Pacific Northwest.

• * Stat source: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality

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Find out more about our General Surgery specialists, including their practice philosophies and special interests:

• Kalotay, Claudia PA-C
• Nadig, Daniel MD, FACS
• White, David M MD