Alex Dalzell is a New Zealand trained General & Colorectal Surgeon, managing a wide range of surgical conditions including hernias, gallstones and skin lesions.
Alex has completed further training in Colorectal Surgery and has a particular interest in colonoscopy, laparoscopic bowel surgery and pelvic floor disorders.
In public practice, Alex attends both Wellington and Kenepuru hospitals. In private practice he can be seen at Southern Cross Wellington Hospital, Newtown and The Rutherford Clinic, Lower Hutt.
What is General Surgery?
The role of the general surgeon varies, but in broad terms general surgery can be said to deal with a wide range of conditions within the abdomen, breast, neck, skin and, in some instances, vascular (blood vessel) system.
While the name would suggest that the focus of general surgery is to perform operations, often this is not the case. Many patients are referred to surgeons with conditions that do not need surgical procedures, but merely require counselling or medical treatment.
What is Laparoscopic Surgery?
Laparoscopic (or keyhole) surgical procedures are performed through several small cuts (incisions) usually only 5-10mm long, rather than through one large incision.
A long, narrow surgical telescope (laparoscope) that has a tiny camera and light source attached, is inserted through one of the incisions so that the surgeon can view the inside of the body on a TV monitor.
The surgeon then passes specially designed surgical instruments through the other incisions and carries out the procedure using the TV monitor to guide the instruments.
Laparoscopic surgery is usually associated with less blood loss during surgery and less pain and scarring following surgery. In most cases, time spent in hospital is less and overall recovery time from the operation is less than with conventional open surgery.
