Minor Surgical Procedures Specialist

What are minor surgical procedures?

Minor surgery encompasses a wide range of different procedures that share a few general qualities, such as: 

• Can be performed without general anesthesia
• Don’t pose a serious health risk to the patient
• Take a shorter amount of time, generally under an hour

Because minor surgical procedures can be performed without the extensive staff and mechanics of a hospital, many patients elect to have minor surgeries performed at their doctor’s office. 

The offices of VCM Family Medicine are equipped to accommodate a variety of surgical procedures, such as suture removal, incision and drainage of abscesses, and cryotherapy for wart removal.

What is suture removal?

Sutures are the material that’s used to close up a wound and accelerate healing after a surgical procedure. Sutures are commonly referred to as “stitches,” which is actually the name of the medical procedure of applying the sutures. 

While some people opt to remove their sutures at home, it’s a risky move that could lead to infection or damage to your tissue. It’s always safer to let a professional like Dr. Medimpudi administer the procedure. She can determine if it’s actually time to remove your sutures, and can also spot signs of infection, wound closure, and proper healing.

When you come in to VCM Family Medicine for your suture removal, Dr. Medimpudi sterilizes your suture site, then uses sterilized tweezers and surgical scissors to “slip and snip” your sutures. She then cleans your incision area and applies adhesive strips to keep it protected while it finishes healing.

What is incision and drainage?

Incision and drainage is a minor surgical procedure that treats abscesses. 

An abscess is a consolidated collection of pus, debris, and bacteria, almost like a pimple. They can show up in numerous places on your body, like your armpit, the base of your spine, or your groin. If your abscess is larger than a half-inch in diameter, continues to get bigger, or is accompanied by a fever, you should schedule a visit with Dr. Medimpudi to get it incised and drained right away.

When you come in for your incision and drainage procedure, Dr. Medimpudi administers a local anesthetic to tissue around your abscess, sterilizes the area, and makes a small incision in the abscess, through which she drains the pus within. She then places a bandage over the wound area and sends you home with pain relief pills and an oral antibiotic to make sure the infection is eradicated.

What is cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy is a minor surgical procedure that Dr. Medimpudi administers to remove warts. 

A wart is a small, fleshy bump that looks like a blister or has a “cauliflower” texture. They’re caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and can spread to other areas of the body if left untreated.

With cryotherapy, Dr. Medimpudi freezes off your wart by applying liquid nitrogen with a cotton swab or a “cryogun.” The liquid nitrogen can reach temperatures as low as -320 °F, which effectively kills the wart tissue.

The procedure will cause a scab to form around the wart, which falls off about a week later. Dr. Medimpudi gives your more detailed aftercare instructions, but in general you should try to keep the area clean and not pick at the scab.

To learn more about the minor surgical procedures offered by Dr. Medimpudi at VCM Family Medicine, schedule a consultation today by calling the office or booking online.