Top videos
The most-watched medical videos on MedicalVideos.com — ranked by views from our community of medical students, healthcare professionals, and patients learning how the body works.
Not every woman undergoes a traditional vaginal delivery with the birth of her child. Under conditions of fetal or maternal distress, or in the case of breech presentation (when a baby is turned feet first at the time of delivery), or if the woman’s first baby was born by cesarean delivery, a procedure called a cesarean section may be required. During a cesarean, a doctor will make either a lateral incision in the skin just above the pubic hair line, or a vertical incision below the navel. As the incision is made, blood vessels are cauterized to slow bleeding. After cutting through the skin, fat, and muscle of the abdomen, the membrane that covers the internal organs is opened, exposing the bladder and uterus. At this time the physician will generally insert his or her hands into the pelvis in order to determine the position of the baby and the placenta. Next, an incision is made into the uterus and any remaining fluids are suctioned from the uterus. The doctor then enlarges the incision with his or her fingers. The baby’s head is then grasped and gently pulled with the rest of its body from the mother’s uterus. Finally, the abdominal layers are sewn together in the reverse order that they were cut. The mother is allowed to recover for approximately three to five days in the hospital. She will also be quite sore and restricted from activity for the following several weeks. There are several potential complications associated with this procedure that should be discussed with a doctor prior to surgery.
Most of the time, treatment for hemorrhoids involves steps that you can take on your own, such as lifestyle modifications. But sometimes medications or surgical procedures are necessary. Medications If your hemorrhoids produce only mild discomfort, your doctor may suggest over-the-counter creams, ointments, suppositories or pads. These products contain ingredients, such as witch hazel or hydrocortisone, that can relieve pain and itching, at least temporarily. Don't use an over-the-counter cream or other product for more than a week unless directed by your doctor. These products can cause side effects, such as skin rash, inflammation and skin thinning. Minimally invasive procedures If a blood clot has formed within an external hemorrhoid, your doctor can remove the clot with a simple incision, which may provide prompt relief. For persistent bleeding or painful hemorrhoids, your doctor may recommend another minimally invasive procedure. These treatments can be done in your doctor's office or other outpatient setting. Rubber band ligation. Your doctor places one or two tiny rubber bands around the base of an internal hemorrhoid to cut off its circulation. The hemorrhoid withers and falls off within a week. This procedure — called rubber band ligation — is effective for many people. Hemorrhoid banding can be uncomfortable and may cause bleeding, which might begin two to four days after the procedure but is rarely severe. Injection (sclerotherapy). In this procedure, your doctor injects a chemical solution into the hemorrhoid tissue to shrink it. While the injection causes little or no pain, it may be less effective than rubber band ligation. Coagulation (infrared, laser or bipolar). Coagulation techniques use laser or infrared light or heat. They cause small, bleeding, internal hemorrhoids to harden and shrivel. While coagulation has few side effects, it's associated with a higher rate of hemorrhoids coming back (recurrence) than is the rubber band treatment. Surgical procedures If other procedures haven't been successful or you have large hemorrhoids, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure. Surgery can be performed on an outpatient basis or you may need to stay in the hospital overnight. Hemorrhoid removal. During a hemorrhoidectomy, your surgeon removes excessive tissue that causes bleeding. Various techniques may be used. The surgery may be done with a local anesthetic combined with sedation, a spinal anesthetic or a general anesthetic. Hemorrhoidectomy is the most effective and complete way to treat severe or recurring hemorrhoids. Complications may include temporary difficulty emptying your bladder and urinary tract infections associated with this problem. Most people experience some pain after the procedure. Medications can relieve your pain. Soaking in a warm bath also may help. Hemorrhoid stapling. This procedure, called stapled hemorrhoidectomy or stapled hemorrhoidopexy, blocks blood flow to hemorrhoidal tissue. Stapling generally involves less pain than hemorrhoidectomy and allows an earlier return to regular activities. Compared with hemorrhoidectomy, however, stapling has been associated with a greater risk of recurrence and rectal prolapse, in which part of the rectum protrudes from the anus. Talk with your doctor about what might be the best option for you.
Colorectal cancer screening tests Screening is the process of looking for cancer in people who have no symptoms of the disease. Several tests can be used to screen for colorectal cancers. These tests can be divided into: Tests that can find both colorectal polyps and cancer: These tests look at the structure of the colon itself to find any abnormal areas. This is done either with a scope put into the rectum or with special imaging (x-ray) tests. Polyps found during these tests can be removed before they become cancerous, so these tests may prevent colorectal cancer. Because of this, these tests are preferred if they are available and you are willing to have them. Tests that mainly find cancer: These tests check the stool (feces) for signs of cancer. These tests are less invasive and easier to have done, but they are less likely to detect polyps.
Amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual bleeding.[1] Amenorrhea is a normal feature in prepubertal, pregnant, and postmenopausal females. In females of reproductive age, diagnosing amenorrhea is a matter of first determining whether pregnancy is the etiology. In the absence of pregnancy, the challenge is to determine the exact cause of absent menses.[2] Primary amenorrhea is the failure of menses to occur by age 16 years, in the presence of normal growth and secondary sexual characteristics. If by age 13 menses has not occurred and the onset of puberty, such as breast development, is absent, a workup for primary amenorrhea should start. Secondary amenorrhea is defined as the cessation of menses sometime after menarche has occurred. Oligomenorrhea is defined as menses occurring at intervals longer than 35 days apart. No consensus has been reached regarding the point at which oligomenorrhea becomes amenorrhea. Some authors suggest the absence of menses for 6 months constitutes amenorrhea, but the basis for this recommendation is unclear. For a post-menarchal girl or a reproductive-aged woman to experience a menstrual cycle interval of more than 90 days is statistically unusual. Practically speaking, this should be an indication for an evaluation to seek the cause.
A Pap smear (Papanicolau smear; also known as the Pap test) is a screening test for cervical cancer. The test itself involves collection of a sample of cells from a woman's cervix (the end of the uterus that extends into the vagina) during a routine pelvic exam
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure, done under general anesthesia, in which small electric currents are passed through the brain, intentionally triggering a brief seizure. ECT seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses. It often works when other treatments are unsuccessful. Much of the stigma attached to ECT is based on early treatments in which high doses of electricity were administered without anesthesia, leading to memory loss, fractured bones and other serious side effects. ECT is much safer today. Although ECT still causes some side effects, it now uses electric currents given in a controlled setting to achieve the most benefit with the fewest possible risks.
ERCP is a procedure that enables your physician to examine the pancreatic and bile ducts. A bendable, lighted tube (endoscope) about the thickness of your index finger is placed through your mouth and into your stomach and first part of the small intestine (duodenum). In the duodenum a small opening is identified (ampulla) and a small plastic tube (cannula) is passed through the endoscope and into this opening. Dye (contrast material) is injected and X-rays are taken to study the ducts of the pancreas and liver.
Autologous arteriovenous access is the key to long-term success with hemodialysis and is strongly supported by the National Kidney Foundation's Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines. Basilic vein transposition (BVT) fulfills the need for a durable conduit with high patency and maturation rates. This retrospective review examines a single group's experience with this procedure. All patients undergoing BVT for hemodialysis with available follow-up data were reviewed. Telephone interviews were used to supplement clinical data where needed. Functional assisted patency was used as the end point for this procedure, and if the access was never used for dialysis, then the patency was considered zero. Secondary interventions performed while the access remained patent and in use were not considered detrimental to the patency reported. One hundred seventy BVTs in 162 patients were performed between November 1992 and October 2001. There were 87 women (53.7%) and 112 black patients (69.1%); hypertension was present in 138 patients (85.2%) and diabetes in 89 patients (54.9%). Each year, an increasing incidence of BVT was performed in our dialysis population. The BVT was performed as the first access in that extremity in 73 of the procedures (42.9%). Functional patency (primary assisted) was achieved in 40.0% at 2 years and 15.2% at 5 years. The mean assisted patency was 14.6 months. To maintain BVT patency, 40 percutaneous secondary interventions (69.0%) and 18 surgical revisions (31.0%) occurred in 32 patients (19.0%). Ligation for swelling was necessary in 4 patients (2.5%), and steal syndrome occurred in 3 patients (1.9%). BVT is a useful autologous procedure for hemodialysis and the preferred access alternative in patients without an adequate cephalic vein. Although patencies remain poor relative to other conventional arterial vascular procedures, BVT is our most durable hemodialysis access procedure and is often the only available autologous conduit for hemodialysis.
A Pap smear (also called a Pap test) is a screening procedure for cervical cancer. It tests for the presence of precancerous or cancerous cells on the cervix, the opening of the uterus. It's named after the doctor who determined that this was a useful way to detect signs of cervical cancer.
Face transplant candidates go through an extensive screening process that is likely to last several months. This screening includes a psychiatric and social support evaluation and a series of imaging tests to help determine a patient’s physical and mental readiness for the procedure. If, upon completion of the screening process, it is determined that a patient is a suitable candidate, we will place the patient on a transplant waiting list. We will then begin working with the New England Organ Bank (NEOB) team to find a donor who matches the recipient’s tissue requirements – e.g., similar age, right blood type. This search could take many months, and, if a suitable donor is not found within one year, we will speak with the patient to determine whether they’re willing to continue waiting. When a donor is found, we will immediately inform the patient about when to arrive at the hospital for the operation. As the timing for this type of procedure is extremely important, patients are expected to be readily available, i.e., reside within a 12-hour travel radius of BWH.
Medical Videos
Free medical and surgery videos for patients, students and professionals — trusted since 2007.
Founded by Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, MD, PhD — physician-scientist.
Follow us on Facebook · Instagram