While many people associate surgery with hospital settings, there are some procedures you can undergo at your local primary care centre. Most take place using a local anaesthetic and don't require a stay in a hospital. As such, they're not disruptive and have a fast recovery period.
Carpel tunnel release procedures
With 2.7% of the population suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, this is a common condition that affects many Australians. Some patient benefit from conservative management, which means waiting six months to see if non-surgical measures work. However, if there is muscle wastage or a loss of thumb movement, your doctor may recommend moving straight to surgery.
The procedure lasts around 20 minutes and takes place under a local anaesthetic. After placing a tourniquet on your arm to isolate the blood supply, your doctor will make a small cut just under your palm, before loosening the ligament that's placing pressure on your median nerve.
Skin biopsies
If you visit your GP with a lump or mole that looks suspicious, they may want to remove a little of the skin and send it to a lab to determine whether malignant cells are present. You can undergo one of three types of biopsies:
Each procedure takes place using a local anaesthetic and tends to last no longer than half an hour.
Cyst removals
Most cysts are harmless and you can encourage them to go away by gently applying a warm flannel that encourages it to decrease in size. However, if your cyst continues to grow or it's causing you problems, your doctor will make a small incision over it and then squeeze around it to make the cyst pop out. It's important to not try this yourself at home, as you may cause an infection or make the cyst worse.
Whether or not you're a day surgery candidate will depend on the nature of your condition and any underlying diseases you have. Prior to your procedure, your doctor may recommend stopping certain medications, such as warfarin. To determine whether you qualify, make an appointment with your GP and discuss the matter with them.
Share11 September 2017
Primary care is a critical component of a healthy lifestyle. It's important because it allows you to catch health issues before they get out of control. It also give you a chance to ask your healthcare provider questions about your health, your children's health and other concerns. Without this resource, public health suffers, but unfortunately, many people do not know how to make the most out of their primary care. In this blog, I am going to include advice on optimising your relationship with your primary care doctor, tips on using primary care to ensure your good health and more. If you like my posts, please share them with others, and thank you for reading.
