Surgical Services
When you need surgery, it can be a stressful and emotional time for you and your loved ones. At Merit Health River Region, providers offer surgical care and a range of surgical services in almost every medical specialty.
Whether you need general surgery to treat colorectal cancer, gastroesophageal reflux or hernias, or minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgical options, skilled teams work closely with patients, their primary care doctors and their families to answer questions and address concerns.
At Merit Health River Region, the focus is on patient safety, care and comfort.
Minimally Invasive Options
The surgeons at Merit Health River Region perform minimally invasive procedures when possible. By using miniature cameras with microscopes, tiny fiber-optic flashlights and high-definition monitors, surgeons can perform surgery through small incisions that take only a few stitches to close. Minimally invasive procedures may result in less blood loss, less pain and a quicker recovery.
Surgeons at Merit Health River Region can perform the following robot-assisted procedures:
- Colon resections for cancer and diverticulitims (usually done with a few port holes and short stays in the hospital)
- Small bowel obstruction release and resections
- Gallbladder surgeries performed in an outpatient setting using one port in the umbilical region, often with less scaring
- Simple to complex hernia repairs, often done in an outpatient setting
- Gastric surgery for cancer or sleeves for weight loss
Outpatient Surgery
Some of the surgeries that we perform at Merit Health River Region are outpatient services, meaning they don't require a hospital stay. Patients come in, have surgery, recover for a few hours and then return home by the end of the day. Advanced technology continues to make outpatient surgery an option for more and more disorders and illnesses, making this type of treatment a possibility for more patients every year.