Conditions & Procedures
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29
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The pancreas is an organ about the size of a hand located in the abdomen in the vicinity of the stomach, intestines, and other organs. It lies behind the stomach and in front of the spine. The pancreas produces juices that help digest food and hormones such as…
A pancreatectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the pancreas. The pancreas is an organ about the size of a hand located in the abdomen in the vicinity of the stomach, intestines, and other organs. It lies behind the stomach and in front of the spine. The…
A pancreatic pseudocyst is a fluid-filled sac that forms in the abdomen comprised of pancreatic enzymes, blood, and necrotic (dead) tissue. Pancreatic pseudocysts account for approximately 75% of all pancreatic masses and typically are complications of chronic…
A parastomal hernia is a type of incisional hernia allowing abdominal contents to protrude through an abdominal wall defect in the stoma.
What is a Stoma
A stoma or ostomy is a surgically created opening accessible at the skin level of the abdomen allowing stool or urine…
Parathyroidectomy is the surgical removal of one or more parathyroid glands.The parathyroid glands are four rice-sized glands located on back of the thyroid gland in the neck. The parathyroid glands make parathyroid hormone (PTH), which controls the levels of calcium in the…
Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a heart problem that occurs soon after birth in some babies. In PDA, abnormal blood flow occurs between two of the major arteries connected to the heart.
Before birth, the two major arteries-the aorta and the pulmonary (PULL-mun-ary) artery-…
Pectus carinatum is characterized by a protrusion of the sternum that occurs as a result of an abnormal and unequal growth of the costal cartilage connecting the ribs to the sternum. Rather than growing flat along…
Pectus excavatum is a congenital disorder which causes the chest to have a sunken or "caved in" appearance. It is the most common congenital chest wall abnormality in children.What is the cause of pectus excavatum?…
Our world-reknowned group of pediatric surgeons are experts in the treatment of children with cancer. Working in close collaboration with the pediatric oncologists, our pediatric surgeons provide surgical care to our patients. This includes resection of large tumors and…
The term "pelvic floor" refers to the group of muscles that form a sling or hammock across the opening of a woman's pelvis. These muscles, together with their surrounding tissues, keep all of the pelvic organs in place so that the organs can function correctly.
A pelvic floor…
What causes perianal abscess?Perianal abscess is a superficial infection that appears as a tender red lump under the skin near the anus. The infection occurs when bacteria gets trapped in the crypt glands that line…
Pericarditis (PER-i-kar-DI-tis) is a condition in which the membrane, or sac, around your heart is inflamed. This sac is called the pericardium (per-i-KAR-de-um).
The pericardium holds the heart in place and helps it work properly. The sac is made of two thin layers of tissue…
Peripheral Artery Disease is a disease in which plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your head, organs, and limbs. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, fibrous tissue, and other substances in the blood.
When plaque builds up in the body's arteries,…
What is peritoneal dialysis and how does it work?
Peritoneal dialysis is a treatment for kidney failure that uses the lining of your abdomen, or belly, to filter your blood inside your body. Doctors call this lining the peritoneum. A doctor will place a soft tube, called a…
The UCSF PKD Center of Excellence is a comprehensive clinic dedicated to the care of individuals with polycystic kidney disease. PKD is a kidney disease, but it also affects many other organ systems. The PKD Center of Excellence is experienced in navigating all related medical…
What are porphyrias?
Porphyrias are rare disorders that affect mainly the skin or nervous system and may cause abdominal pain. These disorders are usually inherited, meaning they are caused by abnormalities in genes passed from parents to children. When a person has a…
Portal vein embolization (PVE) is a procedure that induces regrowth on one side of the liver in advance of a planned hepatic resection on the other side. The procedure is frequently used in primary liver cancer (hepatocellular…
Patients who have undergone bariatric surgery often find they have "deflated" skin in many areas of their body including the face, arms, breasts, abdomen, and thighs, particularly in those who have lost more than 100 lbs.
Impact of Bariatric Surgery
Surgery that restricts…
Sanziana Roman MD and Julie Ann Sosa MD MA are among a select few endocrine surgeons in the country who use small incisions to remove adrenal tumors through the back. This avoids painful abdominal incisions and results in a shorter, less invasive operation with faster…
Some patients with abdominal wall hernias have such large hernias that they are called "giant" hernias, commonly defined as a hernia greater than 10 cm in any dimension. These giant hernias can also be associated with loss of domain. When there is loss of domain, the abdominal…
The presacral space is the area between the rectum and lowest part of your the spine, which is called the sacrum. The presacral space is inside the pelvis, behind the rectum and in front of the coccyx and sacrum. Normally it is empty, or it contains a pocket of fat…
What is primary biliary cirrhosis?
Primary biliary cirrhosis is a chronic, or long lasting, disease that causes the small bile ducts in the liver to become inflamed and damaged and ultimately disappear.
The bile ducts carry a fluid called bile from the liver to the gallbladder…
What is primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)?
PSC is a disease that damages and blocks bile ducts inside and outside the liver. Bile is a liquid made in the liver. Bile ducts are tubes that carry bile out of the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine. In the…
Surgery to remove the colon and rectum is called a proctocolectomy. This is the standard surgical procedure for patients with ulcerative colitis where medical therapy has failed or serious life-threatening complications have ensued.
Proctocolectomy is followed by either:
Ileal…
Pyloric stenosis, also called infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, is a condition caused by an enlarged pylorus. The pylorus is a muscle that opens and closes to allow food to pass through the stomach into the intestine. When this muscle becomes enlarged, feedings are…