Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center

An appendectomy is the surgical removal of the appendix. The most common reason to have an appendectomy is an inflamed or infected appendix, a condition called appendicitis.

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Bariatric surgery is weight-loss surgery that can help morbidly obese people achieve significant weight loss. Other benefits include resolution of diseases associated with obesity, including type 2 diabetes, and a lower risk of heart disease.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in bariatric surgery and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

A heart attack is a life-threatening condition in which your heart muscle is deprived of oxygen. A heart attack, usually caused by a blood clot, causes serious damage to your heart muscle and its ability to function effectively.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in treating heart attack patients and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

Heart failure, or congestive heart failure (CHF), occurs when your heart is damaged and too weak to pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body. Fluid pools in your body’s tissues, causing swelling and life-threatening lung congestion.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in treating patients with heart failure and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

Pacemaker procedures include surgery to implant or replace a pacemaker—an electronic device that treats heart rhythm problems, mainly in the upper chambers (atria). A pacemaker sends low-energy electrical pulses to restore a normal heart rhythm.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in pacemaker procedures and talk to your doctor about what's right for you.

Diabetic emergencies include hypoglycemic shock and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and coma. Both conditions are life-threatening complications of diabetes. Hypoglycemic shock occurs when blood sugar gets too low. DKA occurs when your body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones, which can lead to coma.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in treating patients with diabetic emergencies and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

Respiratory failure is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the respiratory system fails to supply enough oxygen to the body or remove carbon dioxide waste from the body.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in treating patients with respiratory failure and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

Sepsis is caused by any serious infection that spreads through the bloodstream and results in potentially life-threatening inflammation throughout the body.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in treating patients with sepsis and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

A bowel obstruction, also called intestinal obstruction, is a blockage of the bowel (intestine) that prevents passage of intestinal material.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in treating patients with bowel obstruction and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

Colorectal surgeries correct problems of the colon (large intestine) and rectum. Surgeries include full or partial removal (resection) of the colon or rectum; removal of the left or right side (hemicolectomy), the lower part (sigmoidectomy), or  the upper part (cecectomy) of the colon; and attaching the colon to an opening (stoma) in the abdominal wall (colostomy).

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in colorectal surgeries and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

Esophageal and stomach surgeries correct problems of the esophagus and stomach, including bleeding and ulcers. Surgeries include full or partial removal of the stomach (gastrectomy), removal of the vagus nerve responsible for stomach acid (vagotomy), and intestine resection and anastomosis.  

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in esophageal/stomach surgeries and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

A gastrointestinal (GI) bleed is bleeding that occurs anywhere in the digestive tract. Ulcers, gastritis, esophageal varices, diverticulosis, bowel inflammation, and GI tumors can cause potentially life-threatening GI bleeding.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in treating patients with a gastrointestinal bleed and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, which is a digestive system gland positioned behind your stomach. Gallstones and alcohol abuse are known to cause pancreatitis.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in treating patients with pancreatitis and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

Small intestine surgeries correct problems of the small intestine. Surgeries include resectioning the small intestine, closing a small intestine stoma, and repairing a small intestine laceration.

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Gallbladder removal surgery (also known as cholecystectomy) is the surgical removal of the gallbladder, a pear-shaped organ that concentrates and stores bile. The gallbladder can become inflamed and painful, usually due to a gallstone (cholecystitis).

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in gallbladder removal surgery and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

A stroke is a life-threatening condition caused by a disruption of blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Rapid treatment of stroke can prevent or reduce permanent brain damage.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in treating stroke patients and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

Hip fracture treatment often requires surgical repair of the upper part of the thigh bone (femur) that fits into the hip socket. Hip fracture treatment may involve repositioning the bones and holding them in place using metal plates and screws.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in hip fracture treatment and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

Hip replacement surgery involves removing and replacing a diseased hip joint with an artificial hip joint. Hip replacement is usually performed to treat advanced arthritis of the hip.

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Total knee replacement surgery involves removing a diseased knee joint and replacing it with an artificial knee joint made of plastic or metal materials. Total knee replacement is usually performed to treat advanced arthritis of the knee.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in total knee replacement and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

COPD is a serious lung disease that includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic obstructive asthma. These diseases inflame and constrict the airways in the lungs and limit your ability to breathe.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in treating patients with COPD and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

Pneumonia is a lung infection usually caused by viruses and bacteria. It is a common complication of hospitalization and critical illnesses, particularly lung diseases.

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All hospitals strive to offer great medical care—but some do a better job than others. Use Healthgrades to research hospital performance in treating patients with pneumonia and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.