Procedures
General Surgery
Alongside our specialist breast and oncological practice, Breast & Surgical Oncology at The Poche Centre provides a range of general surgical services for patients in North Sydney and across the greater Sydney region. Our surgeons bring the same standard of specialist training, careful pre-operative planning, and attentive post-operative care to general surgery as they do to all procedures performed in our practice.
The general surgical conditions we treat are described in the sections below.
Hernia
A hernia occurs when tissue or an organ pushes through a weakness in the surrounding muscle or connective tissue wall, creating a visible or palpable bulge. Hernias are extremely common and, while some can be monitored without immediate intervention, most require surgical repair to prevent complications. We perform open and laparoscopic repair of inguinal, femoral, umbilical, and incisional hernias, tailoring the surgical approach to each patient's anatomy and clinical circumstances.
Gallstones and Gallbladder Surgery
Gallstones are one of the most common surgical conditions in Australia, affecting around one in five adults. When gallstones cause symptoms — including recurrent upper abdominal pain, nausea, or complications such as acute cholecystitis or pancreatitis — surgical removal of the gallbladder (laparoscopic cholecystectomy) is the definitive treatment. Keyhole cholecystectomy is a safe, minimally invasive procedure with a rapid recovery, and is performed as a day procedure or with one overnight stay for the majority of patients.
Appendicectomy
Appendicectomy is the surgical removal of the appendix and is one of the most commonly performed emergency surgical procedures. It is the standard treatment for acute appendicitis — inflammation of the appendix — which typically presents as progressively worsening abdominal pain, nausea, and fever. Laparoscopic (keyhole) appendicectomy is the preferred approach and is associated with less post-operative pain, a faster recovery, and lower wound complication rates than open surgery. In uncomplicated cases, most patients are discharged within one to two days.