Why You May Need Emergency Surgery in Central California
If you are experiencing an urgent, sudden, or life-threatening medical condition, you may need emergency surgery. This type of surgery is nonelective — you can’t plan for it — and is performed as soon as possible to save your life or preserve a badly damaged body part.
When you have an urgent medical problem, experts at Dignity Health delivers knowledgeable and timely care, including emergency surgery, in Central California. If you need medical help right away, call 911 or find the nearest emergency room.
Conditions That Can Lead to Emergency Surgery
Life-threatening problems that can require immediate surgical intervention include:
- Heart emergencies — heart attacks, aortic dissection, and aneurysms
- Spinal cord and brain injuries — brain hemorrhaging (bleeding), skull fracture, spinal cord compression, and back and neck fractures
- Neurologic events — stroke and cerebral aneurysms
- Penetrating trauma — gunshot and stab wounds
- Lung conditions — pulmonary embolism and obstructions
- Abdominal and gastrointestinal events — appendicitis, bowel obstructions, and gallbladder infections
- High-energy trauma — work- and sports-related injuries, falls, crush injuries, and car accidents
- Severe burns — burns that cover up to 90 percent of the body
Depending on the severity of your condition, you may not be involved in the decision to have emergency surgery.
Experts Performing Emergency Surgery
Emergency surgery is performed by specialists from many departments, including emergency, trauma, neurology, orthopedics, and cardiology. Dignity Health Central California hospitals have surgeons from these specialties on call, so we can provide care at all times. High-level trauma centers often have more specialists available to perform emergency surgery.
What You Can Expect from Recovery
Your recovery from emergency surgery depends on the type of emergency you experienced. The recovery period can be brief or lengthy, and may or may not involve rehabilitation.
For example, rest may be the only requirement for emergency gallbladder removal. Recovery from a spinal cord injury, on the other hand, may be extensive and difficult.
At Dignity Health Central California, we fully embrace the spiritual dimension of life as a key component of health and well-being. Our professional chaplains are available to help you and your family face crisis situations, such as medical emergencies. Learn more about the spiritual care we provide in our Central California communities.
Dignity Health Central California delivers high-quality care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including emergency surgery, in Bakersfield, Merced, San Andreas, and Stockton, CA.