Doctor-Reviewed Health Guides: Conditions, Procedures & Health News

Acoustic wave therapy is a nonsurgical treatment that uses targeted low-intensity sound pulses to repair muscles, tendons and connective tissues by stimulating blood flow and natural healing. It is often used for chronic conditions like tennis elbow and erectile dysfunction. Most sessions last under thirty minutes, have minimal side effects and allow an immediate return to daily activities.

Abdominoperineal resection (APR) is a surgery that removes the lower large intestine and the anal opening to treat rectal cancer, so surgeons create a permanent colostomy for waste elimination. It can be done through large incisions or laparoscopically. Patients typically spend several days in the hospital, and long-term success depends on strict lifting restrictions and regular follow-up care.

An angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) is a combination medication of sacubitril and valsartan used to treat heart failure by lowering blood pressure and easing the heart's workload. It helps the body remove excess sodium, widens blood vessels and increases urine production. It is mainly used for a reduced ejection fraction of 40% or less, improving survival and reducing hospitalizations.

Wrist replacement surgery is a procedure that removes a damaged wrist joint and replaces it with a metal and polyethylene prosthesis to restore pain-free movement. It is most common for severe osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis unresponsive to medication or therapy. Most artificial wrist joints last between 10 and 15 years if patients avoid heavy lifting and high-impact activities.

Wisdom teeth removal is a common surgical procedure to extract the third molars at the back of the mouth, often recommended for pain, impaction or potential damage to nearby teeth and bone. The surgery generally lasts about an hour under local or general anesthesia. Initial recovery takes a few days, and full healing typically occurs within one to two weeks.

Volumetric modulated arc therapy is a precise type of external beam radiation in which a linear accelerator rotates around you in arcs, sending beams of varying strength at a tumor, which suits oddly shaped tumors or those near vital organs. A session takes about 20 minutes, you do not become radioactive, and side effects stay mostly local.

Warfarin is an oral anticoagulant, commonly called a blood thinner, prescribed to prevent and treat blood clots. It is used for conditions such as atrial fibrillation, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. It works by slowing the body's clot-forming process through interference with vitamin K. Patients need regular blood tests (INR) to keep their dose within a safe range.

VV-ECMO is a medical procedure in which a machine adds oxygen to and removes carbon dioxide from the blood when failing lungs cannot. Blood is drained from a large vein, passed through a membrane oxygenator and returned to another vein. It supports the patient while providers treat the underlying illness or while the patient awaits a lung transplant.

Vitrectomy, also called pars plana vitrectomy, is eye surgery that removes the gel-like vitreous from the center of the eyeball so the surgeon can repair the retina and treat retinal detachment, diabetes-related retinopathy and eye injuries. The vitreous may be replaced with salt water, gas or silicone oil. Recovery usually takes a few weeks; report severe pain or vision loss.

Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) is exercise-based treatment for dizziness and imbalance caused by inner ear or brain problems. A trained provider designs eye, head and body exercises that retrain the brain to use balance information better. It is used for conditions such as vertigo, BPPV and vestibular neuritis. It cannot cure the underlying condition but helps manage symptoms.

Vision correction surgery, also called refractive surgery, is a procedure that improves eyesight by changing how light bends as it enters the eye, either by reshaping the cornea with a laser or by placing or replacing a lens. It treats nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism and often reduces the need for glasses. Sudden vision changes or infection signs need prompt care.

Vascular disease bypass is surgery that restores circulation by rerouting blood around a blocked artery using a graft, either a healthy vein from the person's own body or synthetic material. It is used for severe blockages in the arteries to the legs, such as critical limb ischemia from peripheral artery disease, to keep limb tissue alive and avoid amputation.

Venous disease treatments are medical interventions designed to fix malfunctioning vein valves and improve circulation. Healthcare providers use a combination of medications, such as anticoagulants, and procedures like angioplasty or thermal ablation to address issues like blood clots and varicose veins. These treatments help reduce symptoms such as swelling and pain while significantly lowering the risk of life-threatening events.

A varicocelectomy is surgery to repair swollen veins in the scrotum, called varicoceles, by cutting and sealing the affected veins so blood flows through healthy ones. It is the most common procedure for treating male infertility and is also used for testicular pain or low testosterone. Most people go home the same day and fully recover within about six weeks.

A vena cava filter is a metal device that helps prevent pulmonary embolism by trapping blood clots traveling from the limbs toward the lungs. It is placed in the inferior or superior vena cava through a small incision in the neck or groin. It is an important alternative for people with blood clots who cannot safely take anticoagulant medications.

Vasopressors are intravenous medications that treat life-threatening low blood pressure, most often in shock or sepsis. They narrow blood vessels and sometimes increase the heart's pumping force. Because they are potent and require constant monitoring, they are used only in intensive care units as a critical form of life support to prevent organ failure and stabilize patients.

Vein ligation and stripping is a surgical procedure that treats severe varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency. A vascular surgeon ties off and removes the affected veins through small incisions, eliminating blood pooling, relieving leg pain and swelling and improving circulation. It is typically an outpatient surgery with a recovery period of two to four weeks.

Vaginal dilators are tubelike plastic or medical-grade silicone devices that gradually stretch vaginal tissue and improve pelvic floor flexibility. They are mainly used for conditions that cause painful penetration, such as vaginismus, menopause-related changes and scarring after surgery or radiation. Use is gradual, starting with the smallest comfortable size, with sessions of 10 to 15 minutes as a provider advises.

Valve-sparing aortic root replacement, often called the David procedure, is a surgery that treats aortic aneurysms by replacing the weakened section of the aorta attached to the heart while keeping the patient's own aortic valve. It is especially useful for younger patients and those with connective tissue disorders, and it avoids lifelong anticoagulants and lowers valve infection risk.

A vagotomy is a surgery that cuts specific branches of the vagus nerve to decrease stomach acid secretion. It is mainly used for severe peptic ulcer disease that has not responded to non-surgical treatment. Lowering acid helps heal ulcers and prevent recurrence. Depending on the technique, it may affect other digestive functions and require additional surgical steps.

Vaginal seeding is a practice of collecting maternal vaginal fluids on sterile gauze before a C-section and swabbing them onto the newborn's mouth, eyes and skin after birth to transfer beneficial bacteria. However, it can also spread dangerous pathogens such as Chlamydia or Group B Strep. Because safety data are limited, professionals recommend breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact instead.

Vagal maneuvers are physical techniques that stimulate the vagus nerve to slow a rapid heart rate. By acting on the heart's natural pacemaker, actions such as the Valsalva maneuver can help restore a normal rhythm in people with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). These drug-free techniques work in about 20% to 40% of cases when used under professional medical supervision.

Vacuum extraction is an assisted delivery method used during the pushing stage of labor when progress stalls: a provider places a soft suction cup on the baby's head and gently pulls during contractions. It is used for prolonged pushing, abnormal fetal heart rate or maternal exhaustion. Most side effects for the baby are temporary, and serious complications are rare.

Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is a minimally invasive procedure that blocks the blood supply to the uterus by releasing tiny particles through a catheter into the uterine arteries. It shrinks fibroids and controls heavy bleeding without major surgery. Nearly 90% of people treated for fibroids get partial or full relief, and most resume normal activities within weeks.