Jon Blair Marchuk

Anal Fissure SurgeryIf other medications fail to get rid of anal fissure, a surgical procedure known as internal anal sphincterotomy may be necessary. It involves a small incision in one of the two anal muscles and is considered to be a minor surgery. Hence it can be offered as an outpatient...

What is the gallbladder?The gallbladder is a four-inch, pear-shaped organ situated below your liver. It acts as a storage organ for bile, which is a mixture of fats, cholesterol, and fluids. The main purpose of bile is to help in breaking down fats during digestion. The whole process allows for easy...

Spinal stenosis is a condition where two spinal vertebrae separated by an intervertebral disc come closer as the disc wears off due to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or trauma. When this happens, the spinal nerve that runs between them becomes compressed causing pain to the individual. The...

Hydrocephalus is a condition where there is too much cerebrospinal fluid in the head. It comes from the Greek words “hydro”, which means water, and “cephalus”, which means head. It is a component of several congenital health problems, but may be caused by head injuries, too. In some cases,...

What is laparoscopy?Laparoscopy is a common procedure used for diagnosing and removing mild to moderate endometriosis. The surgeon puts a small viewing instrument known as laparoscope through a small abdominal cut. If more access is needed, the surgeon makes a small cut or two on the abdomen to...

What is a lipoma?Lipoma is the most common benign tissue tumor that occurs in almost 1 percent of the population. A lipoma consists of mature fat cells. Typically, a lipoma is enclosed by a thin fibrous capsule. Usually, lipomas develop superficially under the skin, but they can also occur anywhere...