General Surgery
Overview
General surgery is a broad surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal contents including esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland. The general surgeons at SIU Medicine have all received advanced training in a focused sub-specialty within general surgery.
Why SIU
Continually learning
With a focus on continual improvement, our doctors take the time to research, study and innovate to provide the latest treatments for our patients.
Patient-first experience
Our care ranges from primary care physicians to specialists and sub-specialists who have advanced training. We're here for you when you need us.
Breakthrough tech
Continually teaching the next generation of doctors, our physicians use the latest developments in procedures and technologies for our patients.
Bariatric Surgery
Also known as weight loss surgery, bariatric surgery is a broad term that refers to procedures that surgically change the digestive system to help a patient lose weight. The SIU Medicine surgeons who specialize in bariatric surgery work in partnership with the Memorial Wellness Center. The Memorial Wellness Center is a multidisciplinary clinic which offers comprehensive and customized treatment options for weight loss and improved health. This partnership has earned the MWC Bariatric Surgery program a prestigious national award from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
Colorectal Surgery
SIU colorectal surgeons treat patients for cancers of the colon and rectum, as well as inflammatory bowel disease which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. They also treat problems such as diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, rectal prolapse, and fecal incontinence. The colorectal surgeons at SIU Medicine are all double board certified in general surgery and colon & rectal surgery, and have all had advanced fellowship training in colon and rectal surgery.
Hernia Surgery
SIU Medicine general surgeons with advanced training in complex hernia repair participate in a joint initiative at Springfield Memorial Hospital to provide a center of excellence for hernia care. Our surgeons specialize in complex abdominal wall reconstructive techniques to restore abdominal function caused by recurring hernias.
Endocrine Surgery
SIU Medicine General Surgery is home to a fellowship trained endocrine surgeon, Dr. Frances Lee. Dr. Lee is a board certified general and endocrine surgeon who specializes in surgical treatment of endocrine diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands. She is highly trained in minimally invasive and advanced surgical endocrine techniques, including transoral thyroidectomy, minimally invasive parathyroidectomy, intraoperative nerve and PTH monitoring, ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy, and minimally invasive adrenalectomy.
Pediatric General Surgery
Pediatric Surgery providers see patients from birth through adolescence at the SIU Surgery clinic at St. John’s Women & Children’s Center.
Surgical Oncology
The surgical oncology providers at SIU Medicine offer surgical options for cancer removal and treatment. They work with a multidisciplinary team of specialists at the Simmons Cancer Institute to coordinate surgery with other therapies and procedures to form a comprehensive treatment plan.
Transplant Surgery
Kidney transplantation surgery was established at SIU Medicine in partnership with Memorial Medical Center by SIU professor Dr. Alan Birtch in 1973. Since then, this joint transplant program has offered a personal, holistic, and comprehensive approach to patients in need of a kidney donation. SIU Medicine surgeons continue to partner with Springfield Memorial Hospital which is one of only two central Illinois hospitals to offer kidney transplantations.
Trauma and Critical Care
Specially trained general surgeons from SIU Medicine provide trauma surgery and surgical critical care at the Southern Illinois Trauma Center. The Southern Illinois Trauma Center is the first Level 1 trauma center in the region, serving 18 counties throughout central and southern Illinois. Trauma centers treat the most serious and complex combinations of injuries, those from which a person may be at risk of loss of life or limb. Our trauma team and the regional system are organized to provide emergency and in-patient treatment as well as follow-up care after hospitalization, specializing in patients with multiple injuries.
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