Procedures

What is it?
Abdominoplasty is a cosmetic procedure involving the removal of excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen to tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall.

Who is it for?
This procedure is ideal for someone who has lost a lot of weight and wants to get rid of excess skin over the abdominal area. It is not suitable for someone who is overweight and wants to lose weight.

Recovery time
The patient must spend at least two days in hospital and recovery time is three to four weeks.

Side-effects
The risks include blood clots, but these can be prevented if proper precautions are taken. The procedure may leave scarring.

What is it?
Arthroscopic knee surgery is a procedure performed through small incisions in the skin to repair injuries to tissues such as ligaments, cartilage or bone within the knee joint area. The surgery is conducted with the aid of an arthroscope, which is inserted through incisions around the knee.

Who is it for?
Arthroscopic surgeries are used to treat acute injuries that destabilise the knee, or to manage pain in the case of floating or displaced cartilage and rough bone. Minor procedures include flushing or smoothing out bone surfaces or tissue fragments associated with osteoarthritis. More complex procedures include realignment of a dislocated knee and ligament grafting surgeries.

Recovery time
Surgery is usually brief and patients will be allowed to leave the hospital once the anaesthetic effects have worn off. Patients are not allowed to drive after the surgery. Follow-up visits are usually scheduled within about a week, at which point dressings will be removed.

Risks
Risks are rare, but they increase with the age of the patient. Blood clots are the most common danger, but they occur infrequently in arthroscopic surgery. Other risks include infections at the surgery site or at the skin level, bleeding and scarring.

What is it?
Arthroscopic shoulder surgery uses an arthroscope to examine and treat the interior of the shoulder joint. The arthroscope is inserted through a small incision in the shoulder.

Who is it for?
This type of surgery is commonly used to treat subacromial impingement, acromioclavicular osteoarthritis, rotator cuff tears, frozen shoulder, chronic tendonitis and partial tears of the long biceps tendon, as well as shoulder instability.

Recovery time
Patients will be allowed to leave the hospital once the anaesthetic effects have worn off, but with the arm in a sling. Recovery can range anywhere from one to six months, depending on the type of surgery, post surgery care and rehabilitation, and physical therapy.

Risks
Shoulder arthroscopy is a very safe procedure and complications do not occur often. Risks may, however, include bleeding, infection or blood clots, shoulder stiffness or weakness and loss of some or all sensation in the shoulder.

Upper eyelids
During the operation the surgeon removes the excess skin which is dragging your eyelids down. This is done through a fine incision in your natural crease, which leaves an almost invisible scar.

Lower eyelids
Bags under the eyes are often caused by pockets of fat and are usually accompanied by an excess of skin. The operation involves removing the fat bags and excess skin through an incision made just under the eyelashes.

Anaesthetic
For most patients a local anaesthetic will be sufficient, however it is possible to sedate a more nervous patient and then if necessary put them completely to sleep.

Recovery
The day following surgery you can expect your eyes to be swollen and watery, in addition your vision may be blurred and reduced. Bruising should subside after a week or so (for upper eyelids), but it can take slightly longer when both upper and lower eyelids have been operated on.

What is it?
Botox is a drug that is injected into the skin to block messages from the brain to the muscle. This prevents the muscle from moving, thereby stopping wrinkles from forming.

Who is it for?
Botox is ideal for minimising lines on the forehead and around the eye area. It has varied success in the neck area. It is ideal for people who suffer from excessive sweating. In the first year of treatment, it is recommended that patients return every three months for a follow-up injection.

Recovery time
Patients may not lie down or rub the injected area for at least four hours after receiving a Botox injection.

Side-effects
Not many side effects have been recorded. However, there have been cases of eyelids drooping after the procedure.

What is it?
Breast surgery includes breast reduction, breast augmentation or a combination of the two. Of the two surgeries, breast reduction surgery is more popular.

Who is it for?
Breast augmentation surgery involves enlarging the breast through the use of implants, usually in the form of silicone. Breast reduction surgery involves reducing the size of the breast, thereby often improving the quality of a person’s life.

Recovery time
An overnight stay is rarely required with either surgery, although overnight hospitalisation may be indicated in some cases. For breast augmentation surgery, follow-up is usually after three days, and then one week, three weeks and three months. Breast reduction surgery requires recovery time of at least one to two weeks, and the patient will be fully recovered after six weeks.

Side-effects
The side-effects are the same as with any surgery. There may be scarring and in some, rare cases, the nipple may lose feeling.

What is it?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is described as pain, numbness or tingling in the hand because of pressure on the median nerve in the wrist. Surgery is used to reduce the pressure on the median nerve. This is done by cutting the ligament that forms the top of the carpal tunnel. Any other tissue that may be putting pressure on the median nerve can also be removed during surgery.

Who is it for?
Surgery for carpal tunnel is considered when symptoms do not improve after a long period of nonsurgical treatment, or when severe symptoms restrict normal daily activities (persistent loss of feeling or coordination in the fingers or hand, no strength in the thumb or when sleep is disturbed by pain).

Recovery time
Immediately after surgery, patients usually experience a decline in grip strength and dexterity. The scar may remain tender for up to a year.

Risks
Complications after surgery may include nerve damage with temporary tingling and numbness, infection, scarring, pain and stiffness. Some patients may experience a slight loss of wrist strength.

What is it?
Male circumcision is a surgery to remove the foreskin, a fold of skin that covers and protects the rounded tip of the penis.

Who is it for?
Circumcision is mostly elective surgery, in which case it is done soon after birth. It can also be done for medical reasons in older boys or men to treat problems with the foreskin of the penis, or for swelling of the tip of the penis.

Recovery time
If done in a newborn, the procedure takes about five to ten minutes. Adult circumcision takes about one hour. The circumcision generally heals in five to seven days.

Risks
Problems from circumcision are uncommon and when they occur, they are usually minor. The most common problems are bleeding, blockage of the opening of the urethra, infection or irritation of the exposed penis tip.

What is it?
A colonoscopy is a procedure in which the inside of the large intestine (colon and rectum) is examined. A colonoscopy is commonly used to evaluate gastrointestinal symptoms, such as rectal and intestinal bleeding, or changes in bowel habits. The procedure is painless and most patients aren’t even aware it’s taken place. After a colonoscopy, you may feel some discomfort (gas pains) from having air inserted into your colon. Colonoscopy should take about 30 minutes: 12 minutes to get the scope in 5 or 6 feet, and 12 minutes or so to take it out. Then if polyps need to be removed it will take longer, depending on the number and the size of the polyps.

Who is it for?
One of the reasons for having a colonoscopy is to diagnose diseases of the colon and the rectum such as inflammatory bowel disease and more importantly malignancy. According to the centre for disease control and prevention, any person at the age of 50 should have a screening colonoscopy to prevent colo-rectal cancer.  Go see your doctor if any of the signs underneath is present:

• A change in bowel habits
• Diarrhea, constipation, or feeling that the bowel does not empty completely
• Bright red or very dark blood in the stool
• Stools that look narrower or thinner than normal
• Discomfort in the abdomen, including frequent gas pains, bloating, fullness,
• and cramps
• Weight loss with no known explanation
• Constant tiredness or fatigue
• Unexplained iron-deficiency anemia, which is a low number of red blood cells

Recovery time
After a colonoscopy, most people are back to work and “normal life” within 24 hours, or after the sedation wears off. It is recommended to refrain from flying for 48 hours after the procedure.

Risks
Some of the complications that can occur during a colonoscopy include perforation (a hole in the intestine), bleeding, post polypectomy syndrome , reaction to anaesthetic, and infection.

Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms after your screening:

• Severe pain or cramping in the abdomen
• A hard belly
• You can’t pass any gas or stool
• Fever
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Frequent or severe bloody bowel movements
• Severe or on-going bleeding from your anus

What is it?
A dental implant is a device, usually made of titanium, to support restorations that resemble a tooth or group of teeth. It is used to replace missing teeth. The implant act as the “root” of the tooth.

Who is it for?
Dental implants can be used to support a number of dental prostheses, including crowns, implant-supported bridges or dentures.

Recovery time
The healing process can take between six to twelve weeks.

Risks
Patients may experience swelling and tenderness for a few days after the surgery.

What is it?
This procedure refers to the opening of the cervix and surgical removal of part of the lining of the uterus, and/or contents of the uterus by scraping and scooping.

Who is it for?
The procedure is commonly performed in women for the diagnosis and treatment of gynaecological conditions leading to abnormal uterine bleeding. It is also used to remove the excess uterine lining in women who have conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome. It is also done to remove tissue in the uterus during or after a miscarriage or abortion, or to remove small pieces of placenta after childbirth.

Recovery time
It is a fairly quick procedure that could take 10 to 15 minutes. The patient remains in hospital for up to five hours after the procedure. Normal activities may resume after two days.

Risks
Common side-effects include cramping and spotting or light bleeding. Complications, such as a damaged cervix and perforated uterus or bowel are rare. Symptoms such as heavy or prolonged bleeding or blood clots, fever, pain and abdominal tenderness should be discussed with a doctor.

What is it?
For the excision of a lipoma (benign tumour composed of adipose tissue) or nevus (mole), the patient receives an injection of local anaesthesia to numb the skin. The lipoma or nevus is removed, after which the incision is closed.

Who is it for?
Lipomas and nevi are removed when they become unsightly and bother some, or painful and tender.

Recovery time
Patients may go home after the procedure, but will need to keep the wound clean.

What is it?
Eye-lid surgery is a popular procedure, which involves removing fat and skin from the eye-lid in order to give the face a “fresher” appearance. The procedure is performed on the upper or lower lids, or both. Excellent results are achieved that can last for up to 15 years.

Who is it for?
This type of surgery is ideal for people with bags under their eyes, or a lot of loose skin around the eye area.

Recovery time
The upper lid is usually done under local anaesthesia with recovery time more or less one week. The lower lid takes a little longer to recover. It can be done under local anaesthesia, but is usually done in a day hospital.

Side-effects
Side-effects include swelling and bruising around the eye area. The lower lid may also droop.

What is it?
Fillers are used to add volume and “fill out” physical features. Two types of fillers are used. The first is a non-permanent, synthetic filler. The second is the patient’s own fat, which delivers more permanent results.

Who is it for?
Fillers is a popular anti-aging treatment. It can be used almost anywhere: lips, cheeks, around the eyes and even to enlarge breasts.

Recovery time
Recovery time depends on the type of filler used, but is usually a few days.

Side-effects
Side-effects are rare, but irregularity is possible. Lips can become swollen.

What is it?
A filling is a material that a dentists uses to fill a cavity after he or she removes tooth decay. Tooth extractions involve removing a tooth by pulling it out.

Who is it for?
Teeth with cavities need to be filled, otherwise the condition will get worse and lead to more severe problems, such as bone loss. Extractions are performed on teeth that are badly damaged from trauma or decay, to prepare the mouth for orthodontia (in cases where the mouth is too crowded), or in case of infection or periodontal disease.

Recovery time
In case of fillings, the lips and gums may remain numb for a few hours until the numbing medicine wears off. Recovery after extraction typically takes a few days.

Risks
There is almost no risk involved in having a cavity filled. In the case of extraction, the patient can expect some swelling and residual bleeding.

What is it?
Fractured jaw surgery is often needed for moderate to severe fractures. The jaw may be wired to the teeth of the opposite jaw to improve stability (closed reduction) or an open reduction may be performed using plates and screws (titanium).

Who is it for?
The most common cause of a fractured or dislocated jaw is injury to the face due to assault, an industrial accident, a motor vehicle accident, or a recreational or sports injury.

Recovery time
Jaw wires are usually left in place for six to eight weeks. Small elastic bands are also used to hold the teeth together. If the jaw is wired, a patient may only drink liquids or eat very soft foods.

Risks
Complications may include airway blockage (if wired), bleeding, jaw joint pain, infection of the jaw or face and change or loss of sensation in the cheeks or lips.

What is it?
A gastroscopy is a procedure where a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope is used to look inside the oesophagus (gullet), stomach and first part of the small intestine (duodenum).
It’s also sometimes referred to as an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.
The endoscope has a light and a camera at one end. The camera sends images of the inside of your oesophagus, stomach and duodenum to a monitor.
A gastroscopy often takes less than 15 minutes, although it may take longer if it’s being used to treat a condition.
It’s usually carried out as an outpatient procedure, which means you won’t have to spend the night in hospital.
Before the procedure, your throat will be numbed with a local anaesthetic spray. You can also choose to have a sedative, if you prefer. This means you will still be awake, but will be drowsy and have reduced awareness about what’s happening.
The doctor carrying out the procedure will place the endoscope in the back of your mouth and ask you to swallow the first part of the tube. It will then be guided down your oesophagus and into your stomach.
The procedure shouldn’t be painful, but it may be unpleasant or uncomfortable at times.

Who is it for?
A gastroscopy can be used to:

• investigate problems such as difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) or persistent abdominal (tummy) pain
• diagnose conditions such as stomach ulcers or gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD)
• treat conditions such as bleeding ulcers, a blockage in the oesophagus, non-cancerous growths (polyps) or small cancerous tumours

A gastroscopy used to check symptoms or confirm a diagnosis is known as a diagnostic gastroscopy. A gastroscopy used to treat a condition is known as a therapeutic gastroscopy.

Recovery time
The procedure takes about 15 to 30 minutes. After the test you will be transferred to a recovery room and a nurse will care for you until you are awake. You can usually go home after about 2 hours.

Risks
A gastroscopy is a very safe procedure, but like all medical procedures it does carry a risk of complications.

Possible complications that can occur include:

• a reaction to the sedative, which can cause problems with your breathing, heart rate and blood pressure
• internal bleeding
• tearing (perforation) of the lining of your oesophagus, stomach or duodenum

What is it?
A doctor may use a hysteroscopy to look at the lining of a patient’s uterus. A thin, viewing tool called a hysteroscope is inserted into the vagina and gently moved through the cervix to the uterus. A light and a camera is attached to the hysteroscope so that the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) is displayed on a video screen.

Who is it for?
A hysteroscopy is usually done to find the cause of abnormal bleeding, or bleeding that occurs after a woman has passed menopause. It is also used to discover problems that may cause infertility, or to remove growths in the uterus, such as fibroids or polyps.

Recovery time
The procedure takes around thirty minutes and the patient should be able to go home on the same day. If an anaesthetic was administered, the patient needs to stay in hospital until it has worn off. A patient may need to avoid sexual intercourse, using tampons or exercising for a while after the hysteroscopy.

Risks
A hysteroscopy can cause injury to the uterus or cervix, an infection or bleeding. In rare cases, the uterus, bladder or bowel may be punctured during the test, requiring surgical repair.

What is it?
Laparoscopy is a surgery that uses a thin, lighted tube to look at the abdominal organs or female pelvic organs. The tube is inserted through an incision in the belly.

Who is it for?
A laparoscopy is used to identify problems such as cysts, adhesion, fibroids and infection. It can be used to check for and possibly remove abnormal growths in the abdomen or pelvis. It is sometimes used to check for and treat conditions such as endometriosis, ectopic pregnancy or pelvic inflammatory disease.

Recovery time
A laparoscopy takes 30 to 90 minutes, depending on what needs to be done, but can take longer if a condition is found and treated. You will need to recover for two to four hours after the procedure. Normal activities may be resumed the next day.

Risks
A patient may bleed from the incisions or an infection might occur. In extreme cases, there may be damage to an organ or blood vessel, which could require more surgery.

What is it?
Fat is removed through a hollow metal tube through incisions in the person’s fat stores.

Who is it for?
The best candidate for this type of procedure is someone with localised fat stores. It will improve your overall shape, but won’t make you instantly slimmer.

Recovery time
Patients have to wear a corset for up to six weeks after the procedure. Bruising and swelling may occur, which will disappear after about six weeks.

Side-effects
In extreme cases, the effect of the procedure may be irregular.

What is it?
The Lletz treatment aims to remove abnormal cells from the cervix. A wire loop with an electric current is used to shave off the cells. This leaves a raw area on the cervix which heals well.

Who is it for?
The procedure is one of the most commonly used approaches to treat high grade cervical dysplasia (i.e. abnormal cells on the cervix). The abnormal cells are removed to lower the risk of progress to cancer of the cervix.

Recovery time
The procedure involves a short stay in hospital, usually only a few hours. Patients may experience slight discomfort and pain, which may be relieved by taking pain medication. Patients should also avoid intercourse, swimming and heavy exercise fora few days in order to promote healing of the cervix and minimise the risk of infection.

Risks
Some women may develop infections after the procedure. Warning signs include heavy blood loss, a fever, severe pain or an offensive vaginal discharge.

What is it?
A less invasive version of the traditional face-lift. A much shorter cut is made, which lowers risk.

Who is it for?
The procedure is ideal for women or men in their mid-40s to achieve a more youthful appearance.

Recovery time
Recovery time is more or less ten days. The procedure is performed under local anaesthesia, which means it is a lot less expensive.

Side-effects
Complications are minimal.

What is it?
The Mirena is an intrauterine device that is placed into a women’s uterus for the purposes of birth control. It can be kept in place for five years. The device releases progestin, which causes the cervical mucus to thicken so the sperm cannot reach the egg. The hormone also changes the lining of the uterus, so implantation of a fertilised egg cannot occur.

Who is it for?
The device is only used by women and is 98 – 99% effective for birth control.

Recovery time
The device is inserted by a doctor and the patient need not take any further steps to prevent pregnancy until such time as the IUD needs to be replaced.

Risks
IUDs rarely cause serious side effects. In rare cases, side effects may include pelvic inflammatory disease, painful and heavy periods, backaches and headaches. In very rare cases the IUD may end up outside the uterus in the pelvis.

What is it?
Myringotomy is a surgical procedure in which a tiny incision is made in the eardrum to relieve pressure caused by excessive build up of fluid, or to drain pus from the middle ear. A tube is inserted into the eardrum to keep the middle ear aerated for a period of time. This reduces the risk of ear infections.

Who is it for?
The procedure is performed on patients who have an obstructed or dysfunctional Eustachian tube that is unable to perform drainage or ventilation. The procedure is commonly performed on children between the ages of one and three years old.

Recovery time
Patients go home after the procedure, once the anaesthetic effects have worn off.

Risks
Some children with ear tubes continue to have ear infections, or there may be problems with the tubes coming out. After the tubes come out, they may leave a small scar in the eardrum, which may cause some hearing loss. Infection may occur.

What is it?
The procedure is used to increase or reduce the size of the nose, to change its shape, or to change the bridge or tip of the nose. It is complicated surgery, but can have big impact on a person’s self-confidence and quality of life.

Who is it for?
This is usually a cosmetic procedure and patients should be realistic about the final result.

Recovery time
Recovery time is between one week and ten days. Due to the swelling of the nose after surgery, a patient will only be able to see the final result after six months.

Side-effects
In extreme cases, the nose may collapse, but this should not happen with safe, conservative surgery.

What does the procedure entail?
A variety of nerve and joint infiltrations are performed to relieve chronic pain following surgery, injury or infection.

Who is it for?
This procedure is performed on patients with the following conditions:

• Chronic neck or back pain
• Chronic headache or facial pain
• Chronic nerve pain after surgery or trauma

Recovery time
Patients need to remain in hospital for two to six hours, depending on the procedure performed.

Risks

• Temporary weakness in the distribution of the nerve that is blocked.
• Side-effects are specific to the medication used when performing the procedure.

What does the procedures entail?
A specialist diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the eye. Both medical and surgical treatment of all eye diseases and related issues can be performed.

Recovery time
Patients need to remain in hospital for two to six hours, depending on the procedure performed.

What is it?
Also known as corrective jaw surgery, the procedure is performed by cutting, moving, modifying or realigning bone to correct a dentofacial deformity, growth disturbance, trauma or pathology.

Who is it for?
The operation is used to correct jaw problems such as open bites, difficulty chewing, difficulty swallowing, excessive wear of the teeth and receding chins.

Recovery time
All dentofacial osteotomies require an extensive healing period. Patients are able to return to work ten to fourteen days after the surgery, but must follow specific rules for recovery for up to twenty weeks.

Risks
Complications associated with osteotomies consist of sensory change and bacterial infections may also occur.

What is it?
Large or protruding ears are positioned to be closer to the head.

Who is it for?
The procedure should be performed before the age of six years. The ideal time is usually between the ages of four and six. The longer a person waits, the more painful the surgery will be.

Recovery time
Recovery time is quick and bandages are removed within a week.

Side-effects
Side-effects are minimal. The ear may return slightly to its original position, but this is something that is easily rectified.

What is it?
A pulpotomy is the removal of irritated, inflamed nerve tissue from within the crown portion of a baby tooth. The healthy root canals are left intact.

Who is it for?
The procedure is performed in children once decay penetrates the tooth enamel and the dentin. If left untreated, the decay will penetrate and spread throughout the nerve tissue in the pulp, which will lead to discomfort.

Recovery time
It is a relatively quick and painless procedure.

Risks
The child may experience slight discomfort and pain after the procedure, which may be relieved by taking children’s pain medication.

What is it?
Resection of the toe nail includes partial removal of the nail, or an offending piece of nail. The toe is injected with a local anaesthetic after which the physician will cut away the nail along the edge that is growing into the skin. The offending piece of nail is pulled out.

Who is it for?
Surgery is necessary if conservative treatment of a minor ingrown toenail does not succeed, or if the ingrown toenail is severe.

Recovery time
The entire procedure takes approximately fifteen minutes depending on the extent of the problem. The patient is allowed to go home about one hour after the procedure and the recovery time is anywhere from two weeks to two months, barring any complications such as an infection.

What is it?
Septoplasty is a surgery to correct a deviated septum. It may also be done to allow access into the nose to remove nasal polyps. To repair the septum, the surgeon works through the nostrils, making an incision to separate the mucosa from the underlying cartilage and bone. The doctor trims or straightens the bent cartilage and then replaces the mucosa over the cartilage and bone.

Who is it for?
In general, septoplasty is needed only when breathing problems or snoring do not get better without surgery.

Recovery time
Patients may go home on the same day as the surgery, once the effect of the anaesthesia has worn off. After surgery, the patient may have a nasal splint or pack placed in the nostrils to stop bleeding and keep the septum straight while it heals.

Risks
All surgery has a small risk of infection or bleeding. Septoplasty also carries a small risk of a hole forming in the septum, which rarely requires treatment.

What is it?
Sterilisation is a permanent form of birth control that is extremely effective at preventing pregnancy. It does not, however, protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Who is it for?
Both men and women can be sterilised. For women, a tubal ligation is performed and for men, a vasectomy is performed. Tubal ligation involves sealing the fallopian tubes by using instruments inserted through a laparoscope. A vasectomy is performed by cutting the two vas deferens tubes through two small openings in the scrotum. The two ends of the vas deferens are then tied, stitched or sealed.

Recovery time
In the case of tubal ligation, the patient is able to go home a few hours after the procedure has been performed. The patient may resume normal activities after at least 24 hours. The vasectomy takes 20 to 30 minutes and the patient’s scrotum will be numb for one to two hours after the procedure. The patient may return to work in one or two days.

Risks
Major complications of tubal ligation are uncommon. Minor complications include infection and wound separation. Major complications include heavy blood loss or organ injury during surgery. The risk of complications after a vasectomy is very low. They may, however, include bleeding under the skin, which may cause swelling or bruising, infections at the site of the incision, or sperm leaking from a vas deferens into the tissue around it and forming a small lump.

What is it?
Ganglions are small cysts that grow out of joint tissue. The goal of surgery is to remove the ganglion sac and connecting tissue that allows the fluid to collect. A local or regional anaestheticis injected to numb the area and the cyst is surgically removed. The incision is closed with stitches and bandaged.

Who is it for?
Surgical treatment may be needed for a ganglion that has not responded to nonsurgical treatment and is painful, interferes with activity or motion, becomes unsightly or is causing damage to wrist bones, finger bones or ligaments.

Recovery time
Patients may go home after the procedure is completed. Moving the area of surgery three to five days after the procedure is encouraged to prevent stiffness.

Risks
Infection and injury to other tissues are rare, but possible, risks of surgery. Ganglions may return in 5 to 10% of patients. This usually happens if the connecting tissue was not completely removed.

What is it?
A dental extraction is the removal of a tooth from the mouth. Extractions of impacted or problematic wisdom teeth are routinely performed.

Who is it for?
The procedure is performed when there is insufficient space for wisdom teeth, or when there is evidence of disease in the impacted tooth or the near environment.

Recovery time
Following the extraction of the tooth, a blood clot forms in the socket, usually within an hour. Bleeding usually stops after 24 hours. A soft tissue wound takes about one week to heal, while a bony socket wound takes longer (± 8 weeks).

Risks
Infection, prolonged bleeding or swelling may occur.

What is it?
Tennis elbow is soreness or pain on the outer part of the elbow and occurs when the tendons that connect the muscles of the forearm to the elbow are damaged. Surgery for tennis elbow involves cutting the tendon and removing damaged tissue. In some cases, tendon tears are repairable if the repair can be done without overtightening the tendon.

Who is it for?
Surgery is considered if the elbow remains sore and painful after more than six to twelve months of tendon restand rehabilitation, or if a patient is not able to perform daily activities and job tasks because of elbow pain.

Recovery time
After tennis elbow surgery, a sterile bandage and splint is placed on the elbow. This allows the incision to heal. The splint is removed after about a week and the patient should begin to gently move the wrist and elbow. The patient may begin to lightly exercise the elbow after about six weeks.

Risks
The risks include slight loss of the ability to straighten the arm, elbow pain that persists or recurs, infection, blood loss or nerve damage.

What is it?
A tonsillectomy is the surgical removal of the tonsils.

Who is it for?
The procedure is indicated when a person has ongoing or recurring episodes of tonsillitis, recurring episodes of strep throat in a single year despite antibiotic treatment or abscesses of the tonsils do not respond to drainage. Especially in children, the tonsils may be so large that they affect night-time breathing, in which case the tonsils are also removed.

Recovery time
The procedure does not usually require an overnight stay. The patient can expect a very sore throat that may last for several days. It may affect the sound and volume of a person’s voice, and his or her ability to eat and drink.

Risks
The normal or expected risks of a tonsillectomy include some bleeding after surgery.

What is it?
Tympanoplasty is a surgical operation performed for the reconstruction of the eardrum, or the small bones of the middle ear.

Who is it for?
This surgery is performed to close a perforated ear drum in order to reduce the risk of infection, but also to improve hearing.

Recovery time
The procedure takes one to two hours and patients may usually go home on the same day. The patient may experience bloody discharge or drainage from the ear canal for a few days after surgery. Ear pain and soreness may last for up to five days after the surgery.

Risks
The risks associated with a tymnoplasty includes infection, the graft not holding and exposing the hole in the eardrum, further hearing loss, ringing in the ears, dizziness or numbness in the outer ear.

What is it?
A vasectomy is considered a permanent method of birth control. It prevents the release of sperm when a man ejaculates. During a vasectomy, the vas deferens from each testicle is clamped, cut or otherwise sealed. The procedure takes about 20 to 30 minutes and is done under local anaesthetic.

Who is it for?
The procedure is performed on men for the purpose of birth control.

Recovery time
The patient’s scrotum will be numb for one to two hours after a vasectomy. Swelling and minor pain in the scrotum may occur for several days after the surgery. The patient may return to work in one or two days, but should avoid heavy lifting for about a week.

Risks
The risk of complications after a vasectomy is very low, but may include bleeding under the skin, infection at the site of the incision or sperm leaking from a vas deferens into the tissue around it and forming a small lump.