Upper GI surgery :: Northern Beaches Hospital

Upper GI and liver surgery

We know when people are cared for by a multidisciplinary team, they have better outcomes. At Northern Beaches Hospital we wrap an experienced care team around you. The team works together and runs regular multidisciplinary meetings to keep across all aspects of your treatment so they can provide the best possible care.

Our world-class surgeons use advanced diagnostic and treatment techniques to manage all conditions of the upper gastrointestinal tract, including:

Gallstones and related conditions – including biliary colic (pain from gallstones), cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) and cholangitis (infection in the bile duct).
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) – a common condition where stomach acid and other gastric juices flow back up from the stomach to the food pipe (oesophagus).
Hiatus hernia and other diaphragmatic hernias – in which the opening in the diaphragm that the oesophagus passes through stretches, allowing the stomach (or other organs) to slide upwards.
Achalasia – a condition of the oesophagus that causes problems with swallowing.
Gastric cancer and tumours – cancer of the stomach.
Oesophageal cancer and tumours – cancer of the food pipe.
Pancreatic cancer – cancer of the pancreas.
Pancreatic cysts – cysts within the pancreas, which can sometimes turn into cancer.
Pancreatitis – inflammation of the pancreas, which may be acute or chronic.
Liver cancer – cancer of the liver.
Liver cysts – benign (non-cancerous) cysts within the liver.
Acute appendicitis – in which the appendix becomes blocked, swells, and may ultimately burst, making the affected person very sick.

Our surgeons offer a comprehensive range of surgical and endoscopic procedures for upper GI and liver conditions:

Gallbladder and biliary surgery – including laparoscopic cholecystectomy (keyhole surgery to remove the gallbladder), open cholecystectomy, and surgery of the bile duct.
Liver surgery – we use a variety of open and keyhole procedures to manage benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous) liver conditions.
Pancreatic surgery – including Whipple procedure, distal pancreatectomy, central pancreatectomy and total pancreatectomy.
Hiatus hernia surgery – to restore normal anatomy and repair the hernia, usually performed via keyhole surgery.
Fundoplication (anti-reflux surgery) – for people with proven GORD that can’t be managed effectively enough with medication.
Gastrectomy – to manage gastric (stomach) cancer.
Oesophagectomy – to remove a tumour of the oesophagus or the join between the oesophagus and stomach.
Abdominal wall hernia surgery – to repair a hernia in the abdominal wall and reduce the risk of it reoccurring.
Inguinal (groin) hernia surgery – to repair a hernia in the groin and reduce the risk of it reoccurring.
Endoscopic procedures – including gastroscopy, colonoscopy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).
Robotic surgery – using state-of-the-art technology to magnify the surgeon’s view of the operative site and optimise precision and control during the procedure.