There is good news close to home for patients living in the Pottstown region who need surgical intervention. Patients with a serious medical diagnosis that requires surgery no longer need to travel to large university-based hospitals for treatment.

“People want university-quality care, but they don’t want to drive to the city or other urban areas. We provide that type of care right here at Pottstown,” says surgeon Maneesh Ailawadi, MD, who recently joined the staff of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center (PMMC).

Dr. Ailawadi’s surgical specialties include oncology, thoracic and advanced laparoscopic minimally invasive surgical procedures.

“Our hospital has invested a lot of money in equipment, technology and staff so that advanced procedures are available for our patients,” he adds.

Dr. Ailawadi performs many procedures usually found only in large academic medical centers or tertiary care hospitals. For example, he performs complex procedures on cancer patients requiring liver, pancreatic, gastroesophageal or colon/rectal resections. He also performs advanced pulmonary and esophageal resections. In addition, he treats problems such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia repair.

He performs many of these procedures laparoscopically, an increasingly popular surgical technique that means patients have smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays and a quicker and easier recovery.

“Previously, colon resections required a long hospital stay of about six to nine days,” notes Dr. Ailawadi. “But by performing this procedure laparoscopically, patients can possibly go home within 72 hours.”

Patients undergoing laparoscopic splenectomies (removal of the spleen) return home in 24 hours, as opposed to five to seven days using traditional surgical methods.

Dr. Ailawadi is trained in video-assisted minimally invasive chest surgery and thoracic sympathectomies, a treatment for people suffering with excessive sweating, particularly of the hands.