Dekalb Surgical Associates

03/03/2025

As of March 1st, our office has moved to the Montreal Medical Center, Suite 303, 1462 Montreal Rd, Tucker GA 30084. Still the same doctors and staff, at a more convenient location, just off Lawrenceville Highway inside I-285. There is lots of convenient free parking behind the building. We look forward to seeing you there soon!

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02/28/2025

Our phones are back up!! They are on answering service but you can leave a message! Thank you for your patience!

02/28/2025

Our phones are currently out or order. We are working on the issue. Hopefully they will be back up soon! We apologize for any inconvenience.

09/12/2024

The Effect of GLP-1 Drugs on the Stomach (Gastroparesis) and Risks for Surgery

What are GLP-1 Drugs?

GLP-1 drugs are medications often used to help people with diabetes or those trying to lose weight. These medications work by controlling blood sugar, slowing down digestion, and helping you feel full longer. Some common GLP-1 drugs include Ozempic, Trulicity, and Wegovy. These drugs are being prescribed much more frequently in the past few years.

What is Gastroparesis?

Gastroparesis means that your stomach empties food more slowly than normal. This can happen when the muscles in the stomach don’t work properly. GLP-1 drugs can cause this to happen because they are designed to slow digestion. For most people, this effect helps with weight loss and blood sugar control.

Why is This a Problem for Surgery?

When you have surgery, doctors want your stomach to be empty. This is because food in the stomach can cause complications like aspiration, which is when food or liquid accidentally gets into your lungs during anesthesia. Aspiration can be dangerous, leading to serious breathing problems or infections like pneumonia.
Since GLP-1 drugs slow down how fast your stomach empties, there is a risk that food may still be in your stomach during surgery, even if you haven’t eaten for several hours. This raises the risk of aspiration and other complications.

What Should You Do Before Surgery?

If you are taking a GLP-1 drug and have surgery scheduled, it’s important to talk to your doctor. Your doctor might tell you to stop taking the medication for a full week before surgery to give your stomach time to empty completely. Always follow your doctor’s instructions and let the surgical team know about any medications you are taking.

In Summary

GLP-1 drugs can be very helpful for managing diabetes and weight loss, but they also slow down your digestion. If you are going to have surgery, make sure to discuss your medications with your doctor to avoid any risks during the procedure. This way, you can help ensure a safe and smooth surgery.

06/21/2024

01/11/2024

The staff at DeKalb Surgical Associates (DSA) want to wish you a very Happy New Year, and best wishes for a healthy and prosperous future.

The start of the new year often comes with resolutions to do something new or different, or to get something done that should have been done long ago. When it comes to your health, resolutions to do something that should have been done in the past will pay dividends down the road. Perhaps you have a hernia you've known about for a while or perhaps you think you might have a hernia based on symptoms such as pain in the groin or around the belly button, with a bulge that you can see or feel. Maybe a good resolution would be to get this looked at in 2024.

The surgeons at DSA have loads of experience evaluating and repairing hernias. And as different techniques have evolved, there are a variety of options for how your hernia might be repaired. Be assured that we take a very individualized approach for hernia repairs. Depending on your priorities, one or the other technique might be preferred.

You might think that hernias are always repaired the same way, but that is not the case. It’s analogous to how one might choose different recipes for a particular entree. The final dish can be delicious even though prepared differently, depending on the chef’s experience and preferences, and the ingredients you start with.

Before we had the option of laparoscopic or robotic repair, all hernias were repaired through a surgical incision right over the hernia. This is now called the “open” technique. It still is appropriate in many cases. But now we also have the option of laparoscopic or robotic repair. Both of these newer techniques involve the use of gaining access into the abdominal cavity through very small incisions and repairing the hernia “from the inside out”.

In most cases, mesh is used as a primary component of the repair. And although we are quite comfortable with using this in virtually every case, there are some patients who would prefer that no mesh be used. And this is certainly an option when using the “open” technique. Laparoscopic and robotic techniques in most cases will provide a repair with less postoperative pain. On the other hand, the “open” technique can be done without requiring general anesthesia, or the use of a tube in your airway during the surgery.

Jehovah's Witnesses are very sensitive to what surgical techniques are used, giving priority to one that has the lowest risk for any blood loss, given their refusal to accept blood transfusions in any case. The “open” technique may be the best choice for those patients, and DeKalb Surgical Associates has become a “go to” practice for many of these patients.

So, the bottom line is, if you are thinking of having a hernia repaired this coming year, let us know what your priorities are, and we will make sure you “have it your way”!

Find out more about hernias on our website! https://dekalbsurgical.com/our-services/hernias/

12/14/2023

Dekalb Surgical Associates celebrating the holidays!

11/21/2023

From DeKalb Surgical Associates to our friends on Facebook, Happy Thanksgiving week!

The physicians and staff of DeKalb Surgical Associates want to extend to all our patients and their families a happy and healthy Thanksgiving holiday. Thanksgiving is a time for reflecting on the past, whether it be just in the year of 2023, or back to our childhoods, sharing the memories and legend...

11/01/2023

Happy Halloween from the doctors and staff at Dekalb Surgical Associates!

06/30/2023

Congratulations to our two surgeons, Dr. Ashleigh Ross and Dr. Michael Champney, for being named to Atlanta Magazine's list of top doctors in Atlanta for 2023. Dr. Champney has been named to the list every year since 2017. Dr. Ross made it onto the list in her second year of surgical practice; a truly remarkable accomplishment!

03/14/2022

This article shows no difference in osteoporotic fx risk in breast ca pts treated with an aromatase inhibitor versus tamoxifen. But for me the take home message is that about 10% of these women will have a fracture, with higher risk for older women.

The use of endocrine therapy for early-stage breast cancer, particularly aromatase inhibitor therapy has been associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis and fracture in clinical trials. We sought to validate this observation in real-world practice.