Dr. Jeffrey Continues to Stress Minimally Invasive Surgical Techniques - August 2001

Dr. Jay Jeffrey of Batesville, a general, thoracic and peripheral vascular surgeon, has completed additional continuing medical education courses to advance his laparoscopic surgical techniques. Dr. Jeffrey has performed more than 700 laparoscopic surgeries, most of which are cholecystectomies (gall bladder removal) and appendectomies. Laparoscopy is a method of examining the abdominal cavity by mean of a laparoscope, or viewing tube, that is less invasive than previously used methods of open surgery. It is often used to examine the appendix, gall bladder and liver.

Dr. Jeffrey further studied operative procedures by attending the Laparoscopic Urology Course at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in late spring. Visiting Professor Inderbir S. Gill, M.D., led the session. Dr. Gill is head of Laparoscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery at Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. Assisting him was Udaya Kumar, M.D., assistant professor of urology and head of Endo-urology and Urological Laparoscopy at UAMS.

The course included use of a new product, the pneumo sleeve, a hands-on lab and observation of Dr. Gill’s performing live surgery with the physicians given the opportunity to speak with him during the surgery.

Dr. Jeffrey said during his 11 years of experience with laparoscopy, he has worked to give his patients quality care, incorporating new techniques, as well as utilizing in medical equipment now available. “I look for reasonable, cost-effective ways to improve the care I can give to my patients, using techniques which are tried, tested and efficacious.”

As the current chief of surgery at White River Medical Center in Batesville, Dr. Jeffrey is committed to the use of minimally invasive techniques and devices to improve patient care. The pneumo sleeve is one such device. The hospital was also the first in Arkansas, several years ago, to use the A.B.B.I. stereotaxic imaging system in breast cancer diagnosis. WRMC provides surgeons with a laser system to fragment kidney stones of any size or type and the ON-Q TM Pain Management System, which uses a local anesthetic at the surgical site, attached to a catheter inserted at the time of surgery. “We are really seeing an improvement in pain control for our patients after surgery, and we are reducing the use of powerful narcotics, which can have a number of side effects.”

Dr. Jeffrey said the use of new techniques, such as those demonstrated by Dr. Gill in the Laparoscopic Urology Course, improved patient care. Having now applied the hand assisted laparoscopic technique and used the pneumo sleeve, Dr. Jeffrey says, “My patients who have had colon surgery have experienced shorter hospital stays with much less discomfort and pain.”

In the last three years, surgeons have welcomed the hand assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) technique for advanced laparoscopic procedures, according to the distributor, Weck Closure Systems, of Durham, N.C. “Surgeons using the Dexterity Pneumo Sleeve, like Dr. Jeffrey, report shorter operating room time, shortened hospital stays, reduced pain and less scarring for patients,” said Greg Fickett of Weck Closure Systems. An overwhelming demand for training has resulted in medical teaching institutions such as Cleveland Clinic Foundation offering regularly scheduled HALS courses, Fickett stated.

Dr. Jeffrey also attended a 28-hour continuing medical education session in February entitled Medical and Surgical Aspects of Esophageal and Foregut Disorders: Pathophysiology and Treatment, presented by the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.

Among the 20 participants in the Laparoscopic Urology Course were Batesville surgeons Dr. Hunter Brown and Dr. Robert Emery. Dr. Jeffrey, Dr. Brown and Dr. Emery practice at Batesville Surgery Specialties Clinic, P.A., 501 Virginia Drive, Batesville, AR 72501. The telephone number is 870-698-1846.