Dr. Balentine received his undergraduate degree from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. He attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine graduating in1983. He completed his internship at St. Joseph's Hospital in Philadelphia and his Emergency Medicine residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, where he served as chief resident.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Before surgery, it is important to be informed about all aspects of the procedure, including an understanding of what to expect following the procedure, and the length of recovery time. The following "Questions to Ask your Surgeon" will help keep you informed as a patient, and hopefully ease any fears or concerns you may have.
What is the recommended procedure?
Ask your surgeon for a simplified explanation of the type of
operation, technique used, and reasons it should be performed.
(Pictures and drawings can tell patients and family a great deal.)
Why was this specific procedure chosen over possible alternatives?
What is the surgeon's experience with this procedure?
Ask the surgeon about his/her experience with this procedure, its outcome, and the hospital or setting in which the operation will be performed. Is the nursing staff accustomed to caring for patients who have had this procedure?
A hernia is an opening or weakness in the muscular structure of the wall of the abdomen. This defect causes a bulging of the abdominal wall. This bulging is usually more noticeable when the abdominal muscles are tightened, thereby increasing the pressure in the abdomen. Any activities that increase
intra-abdominal pressure can worsen a hernia; examples of such activities are lifting, coughing, or even straining to have a bowel movement. Imagine a barrel with a hole in its side and a balloon that is blown up inside the barrel. Part of the inflated balloon would bulge out through the hole. The balloon going through the hole is like the tissues of the abdomen bulging through a hernia.
Serious complications from a hernia can result from the trapping of tissues in the hernia
-- a process called incarceration. Trapped
or incarcerated tissues may have their blood supply cut off, leading to damage or death of the tissue. The treatment of an incarceration usually involves surgery.
Where are hernias located?
The most common location for hernias is the groin (or inguinal) area. There are several reasons for this tendency. First, there is a natural anatomical weakness in the groin region which results from incomplete muscle coverage. Second, the upright position of human posture results in a greater force
pushing toward the bottom of the abdomen, thereby increasing the stress on these weaker tissues. The combination of these factors over time breaks down the support tissues, enlarging any preexisting hole, or leads to a tear, resulting in a new hole.
Several different types of hernia may occur, and frequently coexist, in the groin area.
These include indirect, direct, and femoral hernias, which are defined by the location of the opening of the hernia from the abdomen
to the groin. Another type of hernia, called a ventral hernia, occurs in the midline of the abdomen, usually above the navel (umbilicus).
This type of hernia is usually painless. Hernias can also occur within the navel (umbilical hernia).
What are hernia symptoms and signs?
Symptoms of a hernia include pain or discomfort and a localized swelling somewhere on the surface of the abdomen or in the groin area.
Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
Marfan syndrome is hereditary condition affecting connective tissue. A person with Marfan syndrome may exhibit the following symptoms and characteristics: dislocation of one or both lenses of the eye; a protruding or indented breastbone; scoliosis; flat feet; aortic dilatation; dural ectasia; stretch marks; hernia; and lung collapse. Though there is no cure for Marfan syndrome, there are treatments that can minimize and sometimes prevent some complications.
Testicular pain, or pain in the testicle or testicles are caused by a variety of diseases or conditions such as testicular trauma, testicular torsion, testicular cancer, epididymitis, and orchitis. Common symptoms of pain in the testicle or testicles are abdominal pain, urinary pain or incontinence, fever, nausea, vomiting, and pain in the scrotum or testicle. Treatment depends on the cause of the testicular pain or pain in the testicles.
Testicular cancer symptoms include a painless lump or swelling in a testicle, testicle or scrotum pain, a dull ache in the abdomen, back, or groin, and a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum. Treatment for cancer of the testicles depends on the type of cancer (seminoma or nonseminoma), the stage of the cancer, and the patient's age and health.
Hydrocele is a collection of clear fluid in a thin walled sack that also contains the testicle. Hydroceles are more common in males than females. There are two types of hydroceles: 1) communicating and 2)non-communicating. Hydroceles present at birth may resolve on their own. Hydroceles that appear in the teen or adult years may require surgery.
Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of disease. Regular exercise can also reduce the symptoms of stress and anxiety. There are fitness programs that fit any age or lifestyle.
Testicular cancer is a disease in which cells become malignant
(cancerous) in one or both testicles.
The testicles (also called testes or gonads) are a pair of male sex glands.
They produce and store sperm and are the main source of testosterone (male
hormones) in men. These hormones control the development of the reproductive
organs and other male physical characteristics. The testicles are located under
the penis in a sac-like pouch called the scrotum.
Based on the characteristics of the cells in the tumor,
testicular cancers are classified as seminomas or nonseminomas. Other types of
cancer that arise in the testicles are rare and are not described here.
Seminomas may be one of three types: classic, anaplastic, or spermatocytic. Types of nonseminomas include choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, and yolk sac tumors. Testicular tumors may contain bo...