Liver, pancreas, and bile duct surgery in Tulsa, OK
The hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery program at Hillcrest Medical Center offers advanced care for complex conditions of the digestive system, including the liver, pancreas, bile ducts, esophagus, stomach, gallbladder, small intestine, and peritoneum. Many of these conditions require complex abdominal surgery and specialized treatment. That’s why our multidisciplinary team includes experts in HPB surgical treatments, surgical oncology, advanced gastroenterology, medical oncology, and radiation oncology. With a team of dedicated physicians, we are committed to providing compassionate care, including liver, pancreas, and bile duct surgery, ensuring the best possible outcomes for our patients.
What we treat in our HPB surgery program
Our highly skilled surgeons utilize advanced HPB surgical treatments to care for:
Bile ducts and the gallbladder
Our HPB surgical providers are experienced in the management of a variety of biliary conditions using both open and minimally-invasive (robotic) surgical approaches. We offer treatments for the following bile duct and gallbladder conditions:
- Ampullary cancer & adenoma
- Bile duct injury
- Bile duct stricture
- Cholangiocarcinoma/bile duct cancer
- Choledochal cyst & choledochocele
- Gallbladder cancer & polyps
- Sphincter of Oddi syndrome
Conditions such as bile duct strictures and bile duct or gallbladder cancers are challenging problems which require multi-disciplinary management. This is to ensure rapid evaluation and treatment for your condition. Our services include advanced endoscopy (ERCP, EUS), surgery and chemotherapy.
Duodenum polyps and cancers
The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine where food begins the process of being absorbed after it leaves the stomach. In some conditions, patients can form pre-cancerous growths called polyps, which can cause bleeding and blockages.
Advanced endoscopy techniques are often required to evaluate and remove early polyps and identify those which require surgery to remove. At Hillcrest, our HPB surgeons are skilled in the removal of duodenal cancers, tumors, and polyps. We also use HPB surgery to care for patients with hereditary polyposis, such as Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. Please note that some patients may also require chemotherapy afterward to fully eradicate any remaining cancer cells.
Esophageal and stomach cancer
Tumors and cancers of the esophagus and stomach often require the specialty of gastroenterologists with experience performing advanced endoscopic procedures like ablation and endoscopic ultrasounds. This is because esophagus and stomach cancers can be hard to correctly diagnose.
At Hillcrest, our multidisciplinary teams are trained to diagnose and care for esophagus and stomach cancers using treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. We offer treatment for the following conditions:
- Esophageal cancers, including esophageal adenocarcinoma and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
- Esophageal perforation
- Esophageal and stomach tumors, including gastric and esophageal leiomyoma, esophageal-gastrointestinal stromal tumor (E-GIST)
- Stomach cancer, such as gastric adenocarcinoma
We empower patients with esophagus and stomach cancers to face their journey with confidence and the support of a highly skilled team focused on providing compassionate, expert care.
Pancreas diseases and cancers
Our multidisciplinary team is equipped with the expertise needed to manage a wide range of pancreatic conditions, including:
- Acute pancreatitis: A sudden inflammation of the pancreas that can be life-threatening.
- Chronic pancreatitis: Long-term inflammation leading to severe symptoms and complications.
- Pancreas cysts: Growths that may increase cancer risk and require careful monitoring.
- Pancreas cancer: A challenging condition requiring specialized care including chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.
Our dedicated team is proud to use one of the only robotic Whipple programs in the US to deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients.
Liver diseases and cancers
Our HPB surgical providers are experienced with surgical management of all types of liver tumors. We offer surgery for the liver using both open and minimally-invasive surgical techniques, including the Da Vinci robotic surgical system.
Our surgeons use traditional and minimally invasive surgery to treat the following liver conditions:
- Acute hepatitis
- Cholangiocarcinoma
- Cirrhosis
- Focal nodular hyperplasia
- Hepatic adenoma
- Hepatic hemangioma
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- Liver abscess
- Liver cysts
- Liver metastases (i.e., colon, rectal, breast, neuroendocrine)
- Polycystic liver disease
- Viral hepatitis (i.e., Hepatitis c, Hepatitis a, Hepatitis b)
It is important to diagnose and treat conditions such as hepatitis and fatty liver disease to avoid long-term liver disease and even liver cancer. Other conditions such as liver cysts, hemangioma, focal nodular hyperplasia and adenomas can cause symptoms that limit your ability to function normally and can increase the risk for cancer or bleeding.
Liver tumors are best treated by multi-disciplinary teams specially trained in liver tumor management in order to not only cure the disease using surgery, chemotherapy, or other local therapies, but also to ensure the normal function of the liver.
