Care from a
surgeon
who felt like a friend
Joe Rubic, 64, of Canonsburg, hadn’t been in the hospital since he was eight
years old and had his tonsils out.
Then one day there was a lump the size of a golf ball in his side — easily
diagnosed as a hernia. A hernia happens when an organ or tissue bulges through
a weak spot in the abdomen or groin muscles.
REASSURANCE AT THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE THE SMALLER THE INCISION, THE BETTER
Joe turned to Dr. Eugene Hammell, a hernia surgeon
specialist at Canonsburg Hospital. Dr. Hammell performed laparoscopic TEP surgery with
three small incisions, which lets patients regain their muscle
and tissue strength more quickly and decrease their risk of
infection. The laparoscope allows him to see inside the body
and insert tools through the small opening.
“Dr. Hammell was great. I immediately felt like he was a
friend, the kind I could take out for a beer,” said Joe. “The
entire staff put me at ease.” Dr. Hammell recommended
surgery, and Joe got scheduled for the very next week.
The morning of his surgery at Canonsburg Hospital, Joe
was literally shaking with nerves and could barely sign the
paperwork. “They knew I was scared, but they were very kind
and made me feel comfortable,” said Joe.
The hospital’s surgical team has years of experience
performing these delicate operations. They use state-of-
the-art operating suites and the newest medical technology.
Many of these doctors and nurses are neighbors of their
patients and long-time residents of Canonsburg.
Dr. Hammell placed Joe’s abdominal organs back into
their proper places and used a mesh liner to reinforce the
abdominal wall. Because of Dr. Hammell’s expertise, his rate
of second hernia recurrence is about one percent, far lower
than the national average of 5 to 15 percent.
A RAPID RECOVERY
When Joe got home, he didn’t need any pain medicine
stronger than over-the-counter pain relief. He took it easy
during his recovery, but he wasn’t relaxing for long.
“I was back to work baking cookies in three weeks,” he said.
“That’s why I’m recommending Dr. Hammell to everyone.”