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Monday - Friday
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Surgeon Dr. Herbert Ridyard doing rounds at Windham Hospital in Willimantic, Connecticut

Surgeon Dr. Herbert Ridyard doing rounds at Windham Hospital in Willimantic, Connecticut

What we do...

Laparoscopic Surgery

The term "laparoscopic" combines 2 surgical terms: laparotomy (to open the abdomen) and "-scopy" (to use a telescopic device to observe a body's organs).

Laparoscopic surgery usually requires a small incision near the belly button (the umbilicus) to insert the camera (a small digital camera on the end of a long telescope) into the abdomen. The patient is most often asleep and we inflate the abdomen with CO2 gas (a harmless carbon dioxide gas) so we can see the abdominal organs. Several other small incisions are usually made (5-12mm in length) so we can insert several other surgical instruments (very small scissors, graspers and retractors!) to do the surgical cutting or sewing as necessary depending upon your surgery.

The surgeons in Windham Surgical Group have all trained extensively in a wide variety of laparoscopic techniques and are board certified in general surgery. Our surgical skills include: very common procedures like laparoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic appendectomy and the less common, but more complex laparoscopic bowel resection.

Drs. Ridyard, Kloss and Kolodziejczak have all received training during their residencies and have continued their training even now to learn and stay abreast of the latest surgical techniques in the MINIMALLY INVASIVE surgical arena.

Hernia surgery is another area where the laparoscopic technique is very useful. Abdominal wall hernia (incisional hernias, ventral hernias, groin hernias) can be repaired now using these very small incisions and a large specially designed patch material. Only several years ago these hernias required opening the entire length of a patient's old scar with weeks of pain and slow rehabilitation!

The hernia surgery is very often done as an outpatient; you can go home the same day! The more complex surgery (laparoscopic intestinal surgery) requires several days in the hospital to recover.

The benefits of the telescopic surgery is less pain and quicker recovery and return to work and normal activity.

...more information on laparoscopic surguery

Slideshow with subtitles of laparoscopic appendectomy
Video of Laparoscopic Appendectomy
Video of Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Mesh Repair
From the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, A Description of Appendicitis with Causes, Symnptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and more.

162 Mansfield Avenue Willimantic, Connecticut 06226

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