Minor Surgery 

We offer a number of minor surgical techniques in the Staploe Medical Centre. This is mainly delivered by Drs Gunstone, Jones, Burnford and Howard. Our doctors have extensive experience of cautery, cryotherapy, hyfrecator or excisional techniques but more importantly can properly assess any skin lesions and apply that which would best suit your problem.  Any anaesthetic required and any post-operative care would be discussed. 

Cryotherapy

Uses a very precise spray of liquid nitrogen to destroy the surface layer of an appropriate lesion allowing replacement with new, normal skin from beneath.  This is best suited to skin tags, warts and areas of sun-damaged skin.

Hyfrecator and Electrocautery

These techniques use small electric currents either to cut through the base of a lesion or to destroy its blood supply causing skin tags etc to wither and fall off.  The electric current not only cuts through the tissue but also seals any blood vessels allowing for a clean operation site.  These techniques are useful for skin tags and other small lesions, particularly where they are connected to the skin by small stalks or pedicles.  It may be necessary to anaesthetise the area to be treated, depending on the size of the lesion. 

Excisional Techniques

We can remove other skin lesions by excision if necessary under local anaesthetic.  Any lesions removed in this way would be sent for histological analysis and the wound sutured if necessary.  Our nurses are highly skilled in wound care and can provide full post-surgical care.  Please note that procedures involving cuts in the skin such as this will always leave a scar, but by orientating the cuts properly and using the natural lines of the skin we can minimise any scarring.  We would advise on how apparent any scars would be likely to be at the time of your consultation.

Joint Injection

For certain rheumatological conditions we also offer joint/tendon injections, e.g Frozen shoulders, trochanteric bursitis, tennis elbow, trigger fingers, tenosynovitis.

More extensive procedures or those where there is a worry about malignancy will require referral to hospital.

Please discuss with your GP in the first instance if you have any anxieties.