Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in or around your anus. They can cause itching, soreness, and pain with bowel movements, and they can happen to anyone. But although hemorrhoids are common, many people are embarrassed to admit that they have them. There’s no reason to be ashamed, and seeking treatment is the...
Robotic surgery combines the expertise of trained surgeons with the precision of robotic technology. It’s a method that involves robotic arms connected to a computer and controlled by your surgeon in the operating room. And while it might sound like something out of a science fiction novel, robotic surgery is...
Your abdominal wall is a thick band of muscle and connective tissue that protects your internal organs. While this wall is naturally strong, injury or degeneration can create a gap in the muscle. Organs, tissue, and fat push through that gap and create a hernia. In general, hernias are labeled as...
More than 5 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year. It’s the most common cancer in the country, and it affects people of every age, gender, and skin color. Skin cancer is one of the most visible forms of cancer, but unfortunately, it often goes undiagnosed and untreated. As a...
Your gallbladder is a small sac that stores a digestive fluid called bile. Everyone is born with a gallbladder, but it’s not an essential organ. And unfortunately for some people, it can be a source of significant pain. Up to 1 million Americans are diagnosed with gallstones each year, and...
The pain. The itching. The burning. If you have hemorrhoids, you’re probably familiar with all of those symptoms. And you have a lot of company — about one of every 20 Americans has hemorrhoids, with prevalence increasing as you get older. As a leading medical provider in San Clemente, California,...
A hernia is a common medical condition affecting men, women, and children. It happens when organs and tissue inside your abdomen push through the muscle wall and create a visible (and sometimes painful) lump in your skin. Hernias can develop in your abdomen or groin. Ventral hernia is the medical...
You’ve probably heard about robotic surgery. It’s rapidly becoming the preferred technique for elite surgeons, from orthopedics to gynecology. But it’s normal to have questions about robotic surgery and how it works. Is it really that safe? Is there a doctor in the room? Why is robotic surgery better than...
A skin biopsy is a common diagnostic test. While we can diagnose many types of skin conditions with a visual exam, more complex conditions (like skin cancer) could necessitate a skin biopsy to reach a diagnosis. If you have an unusual patch of skin — like a suspicious mole, a...
A hernia can develop when abdominal stress tears a hole in your muscle wall. Your internal organs, such as the intestines, may push through the hole and create a visible lump under your skin in your abdomen or groin area. Anyone can get a hernia, and there are more than...
Each year, more than 330,000 women receive a breast cancer diagnosis. It’s the second most common type of cancer affecting women, and there are several different types of breast cancer. Some types are more invasive than others. Regular mammograms are one of the best ways to identify breast cancer. But...
Hemorrhoids are enlarged veins near your anus at the end of your rectum. Anyone can get hemorrhoids, and about half of all Americans experience them during their lives. Two things are almost always true when it comes to hemorrhoids: They’re uncomfortable and they’re embarrassing. But if you notice discomfort or...
Mammograms are X-rays of breast tissue, and most women ages 45 and above should get regular mammogram screenings as part of their routine health care. Why? Because they’re one of the best ways to detect breast cancer. Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women....
No one relishes the thought of surgery. But sometimes, surgery is necessary to diagnose medical issues, prevent complications, and preserve your health. As an elite general surgeon, Elvira Klause, MD, FACS, brings the latest in surgical technology to her patients. She specializes in laparoscopy, one of the most popular minimally...
Almost 40% of Americans are diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. There are more than 100 different types of cancer, but they all develop when abnormal cells multiply uncontrollably in the body. Identifying cancer as early as possible is the best way to make treatment more effective....
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered dramatic changes throughout everyday life — and in the medical community as well. Not only are providers across the country postponing elective procedures, but many are also encouraging people to avoid in-office appointments to reduce their risk of exposure to this highly contagious coronavirus.But what...
Every year in the U.S., nearly a quarter million women are diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 women die of the disease according to data from the CDC. Worldwide, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women, with about 2.1 million new cases diagnosed in...
Are you scheduled for breast surgery? Surgery can protect your health if you have a malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous) breast condition, but that doesn’t make it any less scary. Whether you’re getting a biopsy, lumpectomy, or mastectomy, the thought of surgery can be nerve-wracking, but you don’t have to...
Up to 15% of American adults have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It’s one of the most common digestive diseases diagnosed today, and symptoms have the power to significantly affect your quality of life. IBS goes by many names, including irritable colon, spastic colon, and spastic colitis. But whatever you call...
If you have hemorrhoids, you know how uncomfortable these enlarged veins of the anus or lower rectum are. They often cause pain, itching, and bleeding with bowel movements, and they’re a common problem for people of all ages. Up to 3 in 4 people get hemorrhoids at some point during...
Are you bothered by constant abdominal pain and tenderness? Suffering from constipation? It could be diverticulitis. Diverticulitis is inflammation or infection of small pouches inside your intestines. These pouches are called diverticula, and they’re very common in people over the age of 40. If you have diverticula, it’s called diverticulosis....
From pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving dinner to gingerbread cookies at a family party, it’s easy to let your healthy diet fall by the wayside during the holiday season. Indulging every now and then won’t wreck your waistline, but if you have gallbladder problems, it might be making your symptoms worse....
Your skin is your largest organ, and it’s your body’s first line of defense against damage from the outside world. There are lots of different skin conditions that can affect your skin health, from hereditary conditions like rosacea and eczema to acute conditions like rashes and skin cancer. While it’s...
About 1 in 8 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. It’s the most common type of cancer affecting women after skin cancers. Every woman is at risk for developing breast cancer simply by being female, but some women are at greater risk than others. Understanding...
Your gallbladder is a small pouch located below your liver. It stores bile, a fluid that aids in digestion, but sometimes bile can harden into small deposits called gallstones. Gallstones may cause intense abdominal pain and other symptoms, from shoulder pain to nausea and vomiting. Since the gallbladder isn’t a...
Hernias are common, with an estimated 1 million hernia repairs performed annually. A hernia is a medical condition in which internal organs or tissue push through a weak spot in connective tissue or muscle, often in your abdominal wall. The abdominal wall is made of several layers of muscle designed...
Maybe you noticed pain or pressure when using the bathroom. Or perhaps you spotted blood in the bowl or on your underwear. Now you’re concerned that you might have hemorrhoids. Up to 75% of Americans may develop hemorrhoids in their lifetime. They’re enlarged veins in or around the anus and...
Needing surgery — whether it’s to repair a hernia, remove cancer, or something else — is enough to make anyone nervous. But increased sensitivity around health and safety brought on by COVID-19 has left many patients wondering if it’s safe to have surgery as scheduled. As a general surgeon with...
Maybe you noticed a lump in your breast or your mammogram results were abnormal. Or perhaps you’ve received a breast cancer diagnosis and you’re learning more about the treatment options available to you. If you’re facing a benign and malignant breast condition, breast surgery may be your best option. When...
Hemorrhoids are common, with up to 40% of Americans suffering from these swollen blood vessels. But it’s also an embarrassing condition that people are reluctant to discuss. That’s because hemorrhoids are located in and around the rectum and anus, often cause itching, irritation, and pain with bowel movements. Hemorrhoid...
Your skin is your largest organ, but like any other organ, it’s susceptible to damage and other health concerns. Irritation, infection, and even cancer can impact the health of your skin and your overall well-being. A skin biopsy is a common test to evaluate suspicious areas of skin. It’s a...
These days, there are lots of choices to make when it comes to surgery. While having a choice empowers you to make the right decision for your health, it also brings questions and maybe some confusion. If you need surgery, you might find that sorting through all your options can...
A hernia is a medical condition in which an organ or bodily tissue protrudes through your muscles and creates a visible bulge in your skin. Hernias are commonly located in the abdomen or groin. Anyone can get a hernia, and the cause is often a combination of muscle weakness and...
If you recently got a skin cancer diagnosis, you’re not alone. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. In fact, one in five people will get skin cancer by the time they turn 70. Skin cancer might be common, but that doesn’t mean a...
If you suffer from hemorrhoids, you could be living with daily pain and discomfort. In the old days, surgery to remove hemorrhoids was your best option. Today, however, there’s minimally-invasive surgery that treats hemorrhoids with little downtime. Dr. Elvira Klause, in San Clemente, California, is a board-certified general surgeon who...
Gallbladder surgery is often recommended when someone is suffering from gallstones or another condition that would be improved by its removal. Gallbladder removal, also known as a cholecystectomy, is a very common type of surgery. Although the gallbladder isn’t an essential organ, removing it can sometimes cause digestive problems. Dr....
A lumpectomy is a surgery that removes cancer and irregular tissues from your breasts. It’s also called a breast-conserving surgery because the procedure, as opposed to a mastectomy, only removes a part of your breast and not the entire thing. A lumpectomy is recommended for those whose cancer is only...
You were probably a bit concerned when you first spotted the abnormal bump on one side of your public bone. But chances are your worry really took hold when that bulge got bigger or began feeling tender or heavy. If you’re like most people, it was the sharp, shooting pain...
Dr. Klause's Personal Touch From the moment you walk through the door to the office of Dr. Klause, most patients say they feel a sense of small-town hospitality and care that is refreshing in today’s impersonal corporate medical atmosphere. Dr. Klause committed early on in her career to establish a warm,...
