Surgical Services
Call 706.596.4000General Surgery in Columbus, GA
We provide a comprehensive range of surgical services at St. Francis, including:
- Cancer surgery
- Cardiac, thoracic and vascular surgery
- Colon and rectal surgery
- ENT surgery
- Facial reconstruction
- General surgery
- Minimally invasive surgery, such as laparoscopic and robotic
- Ophthalmologic surgery
- Orthopedic surgery (Total Hip Replacement and Total Knee Replacement certifications from the Joint Commission)
- Plastic and reconstructive surgery
- Spine surgery
- Urologic surgery
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Surgical Services Department
The Surgical Services Department includes Pre-Admission Testing, Pre-Operative Unit, the Operating Room and the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (also called PACU or the Recovery Room) and the Endoscopy Lab.
Some of the diseases and illnesses that can be successfully treated through surgery include:
- Adrenal tumors
- Anorectal disorders
- Appendicitis
- Breast cancer
- Colon and rectal cancer
- Coronary artery disease
- Degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis
- Gallbladder disease
- Heart valve disease
- Hernia surgery
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Melanoma
- Pancreatitis
- Pulmonary emboli
- Reflux disease
- Sarcoma
- Stomach cancer and ulcer disease
- Thyroid and parathyroid disorders
- Varicose vein disease
- Wound care
Pre-Admission Testing
Prior to the day of surgery, patients are first seen in the Pre-admission Testing department for lab work or imaging scans as well as an interview with a nurse who will review current medications. If indicated, the patient may also be seen by an anesthesiologist or have physical therapy training at this visit.
The day of surgery, patients will report to the Family Waiting Room where they’ll be registered and them taken to the Pre-Operative Area, then to the Endoscopy Lab or the Operating Room.
Operating Room
The Operating Room is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At St. Francis, we have 16 operating rooms, including one with the da Vinci Surgical System and two dedicated to open-heart surgery.
Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)
The PACU or Recovery Room is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This unit is responsible for the immediate care of all patients following surgery.
Endoscopy Lab
An endoscopy is the visual examination of the upper intestinal tract (the esophagus, stomach, duodenum and biliary tract), the lower intestinal tract (colon, sigmoid and rectum) and/or the lungs. A gastroenterologist, a general surgeon or a pulmonologist performs endoscopic procedures.
Prior to the procedure, patients receive a sedative intravenously (through the vein) that makes them feel drowsy and relaxed. During the procedure, the physician will use an endoscope – a thin flexible tube – to pass into the digestive tract. The endoscope has a light and a camera, which produces a color image of the inside of the digestive tract or the lungs.
The St. Francis Endoscopy Department team treats a variety of disorders, including:
- Colon polyps
- Diverticulitis
- Foreign body removal
- Hemorrhoids
- Hiatal hernia
- Lower intestinal disease
- Lung disorders
- Obstructive biliary
- Pancreatic disease
- Rectal bleeding
- Reflux syndrome and other upper GI diseases
- Ulcers