Shetty's Endoscopic Surgical Centre

Bariatric surgery refers to a host of surgical procedures that help a person suffering from obesity to lose weight. Various methods are used to achieve the desired results, often times using the help of a gastric band to decrease the size of the stomach or surgically removing a small portion of the stomach

The gallbladder can be found under the liver and is a pear shaped organ. This four inch organ is responsible for storing bile, which is a combination of the various fluids as well as fat and cholesterol. These are essential for the body and its metabolism, as the bile helps in breaking down the food that enters the digestive system. With the help of the gallbladder, this bile divides the food into smaller parts within the intestine. This ensures that the energy released by the food is more easily absorbed into the bloodstream. There are a host of problems that can attack the gall bladder including stones, infection and more.

Let us find out the symptoms of a gallbladder attack and the various ways in which it may be successfully treated.

1. Pain: One of the most common symptoms of a gallbladder attack includes pain. This can be felt in the section that lies in the middle and the upper right portion of the abdomen. The patient may initially experience mild pain that comes and goes intermittently. Eventually, if the pain is not treated, it can start to radiate on a constant basis and hold the patient in its grip.
2. Nausea: Nausea and vomiting are also common symptoms of any gallbladder related problem. Chronic cases usually end up experiencing these symptoms. Nausea and vomiting in such conditions are a result of digestive problems like acid reflux which can be caused due to the gall bladder condition.
3. Fever: If there is an infection in the gall bladder, then the patient may also experience fever and chills. This will require immediate treatment and the prescription of antibiotics. If it is not treated on time, the problem can become serious and dangerous.

Treatments

Mostly, doctors will recommend surgical methods to deal with gall bladder attacks and conditions. A laparoscopic surgery may be conducted to remove the gallbladder. The patient will also have to undertake many lifestyle changes in order to successfully treat this condition over a period of time.

One will have to avoid greasy and oily food. Also, the fat intake of the patient will have to be reduced so that the cholesterol build up does not affect the gallbladder again. The patient will also have to add fibre to his or her daily diet, in the form of fruit and oats. This will help in improving the bowel movements as well.

Melasma is a common skin problem where the skin becomes patchy brown, tan, or there is blue grey facial skin discoloration. It is also known as chloasma or mask of pregnancy. It occurs in women during the reproductive years and occurs rarely in men. It is primarily related to external sun exposure, external hormones like birth control pills and internal hormonal changes seen during pregnancy. Women with Melasma have a history of daily or intermittent sun exposure.

• Symptoms of Melasma: Melasma causes patches of discoloration, which are darker than typical skin colour. It occurs symmetrically with matching marks on both sides of face. It normally appears on the upper cheeks, upper lip, forehead and chin. It can also occur on the other areas of one's body which are often exposed to sun. Skin discoloration is not physically harmful, but it can affect the self-confidence of a person. Darker skinned individuals are more at risk as compared to fair skinned individuals. Melasma is associated with oestrogen and progesterone sensitivity, thus it can be triggered by birth control pills, pregnancy and hormone therapy. In few cases, stress and thyroid disease can also cause Melasma. Women taking hormone replacement therapy during menopause are also at high risk of getting Melasma
• Diagnosis of Melasma: A visual exam of the affected area is sufficient to diagnose Melasma. The doctor will perform the wood's lamp examination that uses ultraviolet (UV) light to look at the skin closely. However, the doctor may perform a biopsy to check for any serious skin conditions.
• Treatment of Melasma: When Melasma is caused by pregnancy or birth control pills, it disappears on its own. One can use creams containing hydroquinone or prescribed topical steroids, which can lighten the tone of the affected areas. Other options include chemical peels, dermabrasion and microdermabrasion which will remove the upper layers of skin and help lighten dark patches. In cases of severe Melasma, doctor may suggest lasertreatments to remove the dark pigment.

It is quite possible that Melasma will clear up with treatment, there are things one must do to not to aggravate the condition and minimize appearance of the discoloration. These include usage of makeup to cover areas of discoloration, wearing sunscreen daily or wearing a hat with wide brim to provide shade to the face. The patients with Melasma are known to be at a lesser risk for Melanoma. Even if Melasma disappears, it can strike back especially if preventive measures regarding exposure to sun are not followed. Resolution with strict sun avoidance and topical bleaching creams can take sufficient time and patients should expect slow, but gradual lightening.

Facial aging is an issue which shows its first signs around the late twenties and early thirties. It is manifested in the form of fine lines, dark circles, wrinkles and rough skin, especially near the eyes and lips. This process cannot be reversed. It is a part of human body and the way the skin matures with age. But, it can be treated through surgical and non-surgical or natural means to make sure that the process of aging is slowed down.

Factors Affecting Facial Aging:

There are several factors which affect the facial aging and aggravate the process faster. Some of these factors are:

1. If you smoke excessively, your face would sooner or later start showing signs of aging prematurely.
2. At times, this process gains speed due to genetic issues.
3. Stress and anxiety are the most important reasons for a person to start showing signs of aging at an early stage of life.
4. If you lead a hectic lifestyle which involves excessive travelling throughout different climates, the exhaustion may be manifested through facial aging.

What are Dermal Fillers?

Dermal fillers help to diminish facial lines and restore volume and fullness in the face.

As we age, our faces naturally lose subcutaneous fat. The facial muscles are then working closer to the skin surface, so smile lines and crow's feet become more apparent.

The facial skin also stretches a bit, adding to this loss of facial volume. Other factors that affect the facial skin include sun exposure, heredity, and lifestyle.

Dermal fillers can be used to:

• Plump thin lips
• Enhance shallow contours
• Soften facial creases and wrinkles
• Improve the appearance of recessed scars

Dermal fillers can be very helpful in those with early signs of aging, or as a value-added part of facial rejuvenation surgery.

Administration:

You must make a note of the fact that dermal filling is not considered to be a type of surgical treatment. However, it does use anaesthesia while being administered. In fact, the patient is first given a dose of anaesthesia and left to rest for about half an hour. Some fillers have anesthesia in the syringe itself otherwise, we apply numbing cream or topical anesthesia. Thereafter, dermal fillings are applied with the help of fine needles. You need to realise that the use of fine needles with precision can be done only by those who have been specially trained for it. Thus, if your dermatologist recommends you for a treatment of dermal filling, then he/she ought to be a trained expert in carrying out the procedure. If you, on your own prefer to get this treatment done, then you should also find an expert who is well trained in administering this procedure.

Thus, dermal fillers are quite famous in the world of facial dermatology to reverse the aging process. It helps in reducing fine lines, wrinkles and adds volume and smoothness to the skin.

There are a plethora of skin problems which include itchy skin, skin bumps, rash, skin fungus or infection, etc. These issues can create a lot of problems in the daily life of any person. Proper treatment with the help of a specialist is must to treat and prevent such problems.

Lump In The Breast 
Lumps in the breast are bulges or swellings. There can be various reasons for a breast lump including infection and injuries. Most of the breast lumps are non-cancerous. Generally, people do not experience pain in breast cancer. The common symptoms of breast cancer are lumps in the breast that are painless, discharge from the nipple, and inflammation of the breast skin. You should reach out to a doctor as soon as you experience the symptoms of breast lumps. It is important to see a doctor as early as possible as it can affect your health in the long run. Your doctor provides the treatment on the basis of the cause of lumps. A biopsy or a tissue sampling is done in order to know if a lump is cancerous or not. A biopsy can be done in many ways. Lumps in the breast can appear in females as well as males, but females are more prone to breast lumps. Breast lumps can appear at any age. Sometimes, they appear and then disappear on their own.

Lump In The Breast Symptoms
Generally, breast lumps are painless. Check out various possible symptoms or signs of breast lumps that you may find:

-  You may notice a lump in the breast that is painless.

-  There can be a discharge from the nipple. The discharge can be there even without touching.

-  You may have inflammation or swelling in the breast skin.

-  You may experience changes in the breast skin including warmth and redness. There is a possibility that it is a symptom of breast cancer.

Lump In The Breast Causes
There are different types of tissue in the female breast. Milk glands and milk ducts are the two main types of tissue. There can be a variation in the composition of the breast tissue. Breasts change when a woman breastfeeds. The breast also has fatty tissue, fibrous connective tissue, nerves, lymph nodes, and blood vessels. The breast part can react in various ways to body chemistry changes. These changes can lead to the development of lumps in the breast. Check out various potential causes of a lump in the breast:

-  An injury to the breast can lead to the development of breast lumps.

-  Fibrocystic breasts can cause lumps in the breast. In this condition, breasts feel lumpy which can be accompanied by a pain.

-  One of the common symptoms of fibroadenoma is a lump in the breast.

-  Intraductal papilloma can lead to the formation of a lump in the breast. Intraductal papilloma is a small, benign tumour in a milk duct in the breast.

-  A lipoma can cause a lump in the breast. It is a non-cancerous tumour made of fat tissue.

-  An infection of the breast or mastitis can be a cause of breast lumps.

-  Due to breast cancer, you experience lumps in the breast.

-  Hamartoma, milk cysts, and breast cysts are some of the other potential causes of breast lumps.

How is it diagnosed?
You should visit the best doctor as soon as you experience the symptoms of breast lumps. Your doctor will ask you various questions regarding the lump including when you find out the lump, and what symptoms are you experiencing. Your doctor will conduct a physical examination of your breast in order to diagnose. If it becomes hard for your doctor to know the exact cause of breast lumps then he or she may ask you to go for some additional tests including:

-  Mammogram: It is an X-ray of the breast done to know the abnormalities in the breast. Mammogram also helps to find out if a person has breast cancer, though sometimes it fails to provide the correct result which is rare. Calcium deposits pattern can appear on the mammogram which makes your doctor suspicious about cancer. In such a condition, it is generally recommended that a biopsy should be done.

-  Ultrasound: It is a painless test done with the help of sound waves. It is done to evaluate lumps in the breast. It is done to know if a cyst is a solid lump (which can be cancerous or not) or fluid-filled. If even after the ultrasound it is not clear that the breast lump is cystic in nature then your doctor may ask you to go for further evaluation.

-  Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): It is widely used for evaluating lumps in the breast as this test can even help to find out the abnormalities that are small in the breast. With the help of radio waves, a computer, and magnetism, the images of internal body structure are produced. The images that are obtained from the MRI can help to find out if any specific area is cancerous.

-  Fine-Needle Aspiration: Fine-needle aspiration is a diagnostic procedure done to investigate lumps. In this procedure, fluid is removed from the breast lump with the help of a needle. Your doctor may conduct an ultrasound to guide the needle. Some cysts which are non-cancerous go away after removing the fluid. If your doctor finds that the fluid is cloudy or bloody then he or she may send it to a laboratory for analyzing cancer cells.

-  Biopsy: Biopsy can be done in many ways. In this procedure, a tissue sample is taken in order to analyze under a microscope. Stereotactic biopsy, vacuum-assisted biopsy, fine-needle aspiration biopsy, core needle biopsy, a surgical biopsy (incisional biopsy), and surgical biopsy (excisional biopsy).

Prevention
Generally, it is not possible to prevent breast lumps as they can occur due to hormonal changes and you have no control over them. You can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer if you:

-  Have a healthy and balanced diet.

-  Do not smoke and avoid secondhand smoke.

-  Maintain a weight that is healthy.

-  Do physical exercises regularly.

-  Reduce or avoid the consumption of alcohol.

-  Get your breasts examined regularly.

Treatment
The doctor finds out the exact cause before giving the treatment to the patient. All breast lumps do not require treatment.  Your doctor will decide whether there is a requirement for further testing or treatment depending on your case. Check out the various treatment options for breast lumps:

-  Your doctor may recommend you antibiotics if you have an infection in the breast.

-  If you have a cyst then your doctor may drain the cyst. Generally, cysts leave you when they are drained. In some circumstances, there is no need to treat cysts as they may go away on their own.

-  If your doctor finds out that your lump is a breast cancer then treatment can include lumpectomy in which a lump is removed, mastectomy in which the breast tissue is removed, chemotherapy in which drugs are used to destroy or fight the cancer, and radiation in which radioactive materials or rays are used to fight the cancer. The treatment that is provided by the doctor depends on the type of the breast cancer patient has, the location and size of a tumour, and the extent of cancer.

-  If your doctor finds out that the reason for your breast lump is an injury then your doctor might ask you to give some time to heal.

-  There are some types of breast lumps including fibroadenoma which need not be treated or removed.

Complications
There are various complications associated with breast lumps. Some breast lumps are cancerous in nature. Various stages of breast cancer are treated with the help of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can lead to many complications including constipation, diarrhoea, infertility, early menopause, constant exhaustion, nausea, vomiting and more.

Myths
Check out various myths or misconceptions about breast lumps:

Myth #1: A breast lump is probably cancer.

As per various studies, lumps that most women experience in the breast are not cancerous. They are generally a fibroadenoma or a cyst. There are some lumps that come and go away naturally during a menstrual cycle of a woman. It is important to do the self-examination of the breast regularly. As soon as you experience the symptoms of breast lumps, you should reach out to the best doctor for a diagnosis.

Myth #2: If you have a lump but your mammogram is normal, you are done.

There is a possibility that you have a lump but your mammogram does not show this. As per research, 10% mammography shows the wrong result. That is why your doctor may ask you to go for additional tests including a follow-up mammogram, ultrasound, and MRI in order to look at the lump again. Your doctor may also ask you to get the biopsy done to have the sample of your lump for testing.

Myth #3: Breast lumps which are cancerous are always painless.

It is not necessary that if you have lumps in your breast that are cancerous then you will have no pain. Generally, most of the breast cancers are not painful. If you have pain in the breast then it does not indicate that you have breast cancer. You may experience a pain due to a lump in inflammatory breast cancer. The early symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer are warmth, redness, tenderness, and swelling.

Conclusion
Breast lumps are swellings or bulges. Infection and injuries are some of the causes of breast lumps. It is not necessary that lumps are always painless. The common symptoms of breast lumps are painless lumps in the breast, discharge from the nipple, and inflammation or swelling in the breast skin. You should visit a doctor as soon as you experience the symptoms or signs of breast lumps. Your doctor can easily understand your problem after knowing your symptoms.

Your doctor may ask you to get some diagnostic tests done in order to be sure about the diagnosis. Mammogram, ultrasound, biopsy, magnetic resonance imaging and fine-needle aspiration are some of the diagnostic tests that are conducted by the doctor in order to diagnose lumps in the breast. The treatment is provided depending on the cause of breast lumps, the extent of breast lumps, and location and size of breast lumps. Your doctor suggests the best treatment option as per your situation. There are some cases of breast lumps that can be treated without any medicine. Antibiotics are recommended if there is an infection in the breast. If there is a cyst then it can be drained. There are some cysts that go away on their own.

You should get your breasts examined on a regular basis. Self-examination plays a very important role. You should maintain a healthy weight in order to get prevention from breast lumps. Chemotherapy can lead to many complications including nausea, constipation, vomiting, diarrhoea, and infertility. People have a lot of myths or misconceptions about breast lumps. Breast lumps which are cancerous are always painless is one of the common myths.

Dryness is one of the reason for itching. Make sure you keep your skin moisturized at all times specifically during winters.

Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP is a futuristic, natural and non – surgical concept of regenerative medicine. It adopts a modern approach of revitalizing the skin. PRP therapy helps to reduce the signs of aging, lessen acne and decrease fine lines & wrinkles without any surgery, Botox or fillers.

Here are the five benefits of a PRP therapy for Anti-Aging

1. Absolutely Natural Procedure
   Because the plasma used in this procedure is derived from your own body, it is a completely natural procedure. No artificial chemicals or substances are used to process.
2. No Surgery
   No invasion is involved in this procedure. The doctor would only give you a topical or local anaesthetic to numb the area. Then your own processed blood, which is now platelet rich plasma, is injected into your affected areas of your face using an insulin syringe.
3. Completely Safe
   Since the plasma that is injected in skin is taken from your body only; therefore there are no risks or side effects of this procedure. Nor there are any non-compatibility allergies. Some patients have mild swelling, bruises or redness that goes away within 24 hours. So this is a completely safe procedure.
4. No Recovery Time
   PRP therapy for anti-aging is a simple and non complicated procedure. The treatment takes around 30 minutes. After the treatment, you can leave the clinic & continue with your daily routine for the rest of the day.
5. Long Lasting Results
   The results of PRP are long lasting. A patient needs to undergo 3 to 4 PRP sessions. After you undergo one session, the other session is scheduled after 3 to 4 weeks although some patient might need a maintenance session once a year. But the results are visible and last for years.

So if you are suffering from wrinkles, fine lines, acne or signs of aging, PRP is the perfect solution for you.