Surgical Services

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 then taken to the Pre-Operative Area, and then to the Endoscopy Lab or the 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.

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.

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