Medical/Surgical Procedures

Dr. Jay R. Jeffrey is a board-certified General Surgeon with training in general surgery, vascular and thoracic surgery. Procedures he performs
are extensive:

General Surgery | Hernia Repair; Laparoscopic and Open | Breast Surgery
Thyroid Surgery | Parathyroid Surgery | Gallbladder, Pancreas, and Liver Surgery | Small and Large Bowel Disease, Open and Laparoscopic
Splenectomy , open and hand assisted laparoscopic (HAL) | Skin Lesion Removal, Malignant and Benign | Vascular Surgery | Thoracic Surgery
Trauma Surgery | Colonoscopy | EGD | FAQ's

General Surgery

• Hernia repair; laparoscopic and open
  • Hiatal hernia, GERD treatment
  • Umbilical
  • Inguinal, open anterior approach only
  • Femoral
  • Abdominal
  • Incisional
     
• Breast surgery
  • Benign (noncancerous) lumps: fibrocystic disease, simple cysts, fibroadenoma, papillomas
  • Malignant (cancerous) lumps: early cancer, advanced cancer, disseminated cancer
  • Biopsy: excisional, incisional, core needle, stereotactic
  • Sentinel lymph node biopsy
  • Partial and modified mastectomy
  • Diagnosis/treatment of breast infections
     
• Thyroid surgery
  • Diagnosis/treatment of thyroid tumor, benign and malignant
     
• Parathyroid surgery
  • Diagnosis/treatment of primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism
     
• Gallbladder, pancreas, and liver surgery
  • Open surgery
  • Laparoscopic surgery
  • Treatment of gallbladder disease
  • Common bile duct exploration
  • Cystgastro - only for pancreatic pseudocysts
  • Pancreatic resection - selected
     
• Small and Large Bowel Disease, open and laparoscopic
   
• Splenectomy, open and hand assisted laparoscopic (HAL)
   
• Skin lesion removal, malignant and benign

Vascular Surgery

• Venous access: central vein access; port placement for chemotherapy
• Hemodialysis access for patients with kidney failure
• Carotid endarterectomy for carotid artery blockage, if indicated
• Infra renal abdominal aortic aneurysm evaluation and treatment
• Peripheral vascular surgery
• Pseudoaneurysms - evaluation and treatment
• Pericardial window for diagnosis and treatment of pericardial effusions
• Embolectomy for acutely threatened extremity due to sudden arterial blockage
• Vein stripping of symptomatic lower extremity veins, when indicated

Thoracic Surgery

• Bronchoscopy (diagnostic and therapeutic)
• Mediastinoscopy (biopsy of lymph nodes or masses in the chest)
• Lung cancer (diagnosis, treatment, partial lung to complete lung removal)
• Tracheostomy, percutaneous and open
• Thoracoscopy (minimally invasive treatment of lung disease) for diagnosis and some treatment
• Recurrent Pneumothorax, includes bleb resection
• Endoscopy
  • EGD with biopsy; esophageal dilatation; feeding tube access
  • Colonoscopy with polypectomy and biopsy
  • Bronchoscopy biopsy, stenting

Trauma Surgery

• Evaluation and treatment
• Transfer to tertiary care center when indicated

Colonoscopy is an examination of the colon (large intestine) with a lighted flexible scope. During the colonoscopy, if an abnormality is seen, a biopsy will usually be taken. This involves removing a portion or all of the abnormal area for processing and subsequent examination under a microscope by a pathologist.

Your colonoscopy will be performed at the White River Medical Center Professional Building. Phone 870-307-6250.

Please plan on being with us for a total of two to three (2-3) hours. The nursing staff will perform a brief assessment and examination prior to your procedure. You will need to change into a hospital gown, and an I.V. will be inserted. You will then be brought into the procedure room, be sedated, and undergo the colonoscopy. Please have a family member or friend stay with you that can also speak with the doctor and nurses after the procedure. By law you cannot drive the rest of the day of the colonoscopy. We advise you to take the entire day off work.

A thorough cleansing of the colon is essential and the examination is most successful if you follow the directions for preparation completely. Dr. Jeffrey has his patients take either a Gatorade/Miralax Prep or Colyte Prep. A nurse from Batesville Surgery will call you prior to your procedure and obtain a brief medical history over the phone and schedule the date of your exam. The appropriate prep for you will be called to the pharmacy of your choice and an instruction sheet will be faxed to the pharmacist to be included with your medications for your convenience.

Prior to your colonoscopy, check with your insurance carrier if you need pre-approval and that you understand your financial responsibility for the procedure. If you are having a colonoscopy for screening purposes (having no problems, but having the exam for preventive purposes), verify with your insurance company that “Screening Colonoscopy” is a covered benefit. There should be a number on the back of your insurance card for you to call.

EGD

An EGD (esophagogastroduedenoscopy) is an examination of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum with a lighted flexible scope which is inserted through the mouth. During the procedure, biopsies may be taken and sent to a pathologist for examination under a microscope.

This procedure can be done at the White River Medical Center Professional Building or in our office. If the procedure is done at the hospital, you will have an I.V. started for administration of sedative medications. If the procedure is done in our office you will be given a Valium tablet to take one (1) hour prior to the procedure. At both locations you will be given a local anesthetic (numbing medicine) to gargle to numb your throat. Many people tolerate the procedure very well in the office setting. Others prefer more sedation which can only be given at the hospital. If you are a relatively anxious person, have an overactive gag reflex, have difficulty breathing through your nose or have lung problems, having the procedure done at the hospital may be best for you.

There is no special preparation for you to take prior to this procedure. You are only required to be without food or drink after midnight the night before the procedure.

You will need someone with you to drive you home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Colonoscopy Preparation

Q. Why avoid red liquids?
A. The red color can persist in the colon and potentially look like blood.

Q. I feel like vomiting and don’t think I can drink any more. What should I do?
A. It is important that you continue drinking the solution if at all possible. Without a clean bowel, the doctor will not be able to see the inside of your colon to complete the examination. If you do vomit, wait 45 minutes and begin drinking the solution again. If not improved, call us.

Q. I drank a lot of the solution and haven’t gone to the bathroom yet. What should I do?
A. Keep drinking. Most people have a bowel movement after an hour, some patients may take 2 hours or longer.

Q. I am taking the prep and am now having loose, watery stools. Do I still need to drink the rest of the prep?
A. Yes, you may have solid stool higher in the colon that needs to be eliminated.

Q. I already have diarrhea before taking the prep. Do I still have to take the laxative?
A. Yes, you must take the prep as directed. Your colon is approximately six feet long. The entire colon must be emptied for your physician to see the colon clearly.

Q. I see yellow color in the toilet bowl and a few flecks. What do I do?
A. If you drank the entire solution or if your last bowel movements were clear enough that you were able to see the bottom of the toilet, you should be fine. It is OK if you have some flecks of material. The yellow color is a result of the bile that normally colors the feces. This shouldn’t interfere with the examination.

Q. My bottom is sore. What can I do?
A. To clean the area, avoid rubbing. Gently pat with a wet washcloth or baby wipes. Apply Vaseline, Preparation H or Desitin ointment liberally.

Q. Can I drink alcoholic beverages?
A. No. We strongly suggest that you not drink any alcoholic beverages prior to your procedure. They can cause dehydration and thin your blood.

Q. What if I am passing stool the morning of my test?
A. Take a tap water enema until you run clear. If this does not work, call the office.

Q. Can I brush my teeth?
A. Yes. Please do.

Q. Can I wear my dentures?
A. Yes, however, you may be asked to remove them prior to the procedure.

Q. I have been instructed to take anti-inflammatories or blood thinners several days prior to the procedure. What can I take for headaches and pain relief?
A. You may take Tylenol as directed.

EGD Procedure

Q. Can I wear my dentures?
A. Yes, but you will need to remove them prior to your procedure

Q. Can I drive home?
A. No. You will be given a sedative medication and will need someone with you to drive you home.

Q. I have been instructed to take anti-inflammatories or blood thinners several days prior to the procedure. What can I take for headaches and pain relief?
A. You may take Tylenol as directed.