General Surgery Specialist

Michael Sutker, MD

Bariatric, General & Laparoscopic Surgeon located in Dallas, TX & McKinney, TX

If you need general surgery to remove a skin lesion or drain an infected wound, you can rely on the expertise of board-certified general surgeon Michael Sutker, MD. At the offices in McKinney and Dallas, Texas, Dr. Sutker uses the latest minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat acute and chronic wounds, place a catheter, and remove lipomas and other growths. You can schedule a general surgery consultation online or by calling the office of Michael Sutker, MD, PA, nearest you today.

General Surgery Q&A

A general surgeon is an expert at many different kinds of operations. These may include in-office procedures such as removing skin lesions or draining an infected wound. You can also rely on the expertise of board-certified general surgeon, Michael Sutker, MD to perform operations such as gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy), appendix removal (appendectomy), removal of portions of the small intestine and colon, as well as a wide variety of other procedures. Dr. Sutker uses the latest surgical techniques to treat acute and chronic wounds, place catheters for chemotherapy access, and remove lipomas, and other growths.”

What general surgery services are available?

As a board-certified general surgeon, Dr. Sutker performs a variety of general surgery procedures that focus on optimizing your overall health and wellness.

Using minimally invasive and traditional open surgery techniques, Dr. Sutker offers surgeries like:

Mediport placement

Mediport placement is a minor surgical procedure to connect a mediport and a vein to a catheter. This type of surgery is necessary for long-term intravenous (IV) access for medications or chemotherapy.

Abscess drainage

Abscess drainage is a surgical procedure to treat abscesses in the skin. The procedure involves creating an incision to drain infected fluids. If the abscess is large, Dr. Sutker places gauze to help fluids continue to drain while the wound heals.

Skin lesion and soft tissue removal

Surgery to remove skin lesions and soft tissue masses on the surface of the skin are available. Dr. Sutker can also treat masses that are deeper in the body. He uses a variety of minimally invasive surgical techniques to remove the lesion or mass and can test the tissue for cancer and other diseases.

Lipoma removal

A lipoma is a lump of fat that grows in the soft tissues of the body. Generally, lipomas are noncancerous, but they can be uncomfortable. Dr. Sutker can remove the growth and test it for cancer.

Pilonidal cyst excision

A pilonidal cyst develops near your tailbone when a buildup of dead skin, oils, and hair clogs your skin. Dr. Sutker uses minimally invasive surgical techniques to drain an infected cyst and then remove the growth.

Surgical removal of small growths typically requires only a local anesthetic and Dr. Sutker performs the procedure in-office. If you have a growth or wound that’s large, your procedure may be in a hospital setting under general anesthesia.

In addition to his extensive surgical experience, Dr. Sutker provides comprehensive wound care services on-site.

Why would I need wound care services?

Wound care services are available to treat both acute and chronic wounds.

Acute wounds

Acute wounds tend to heal within three weeks and include those you develop from an injury, such as burns, abrasions, and lacerations. Incisions from a surgery are also a type of acute wound.

Chronic wounds

Chronic wounds take three months or longer to heal and often require medical intervention to prevent complications. Common examples of chronic wounds include pressure ulcers, foot ulcers, and wounds from neurodegenerative diseases like diabetes that cause nerve damage.

Dr. Sutker provides comprehensive wound care services, including wound cleaning, dressing, and surgical debridement of the wound to reduce your risk for infection and other complications. He can also refer you to a wound care center for chronic wound management when necessary.

To learn more about available general surgery options, call the office of Michael Sutker, MD, PA, nearest you or book an appointment online today.

Other General Surgery Procedures in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

Dr. Sutker provides patients throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, TX a wide variety of general surgery procedures they need for optimum health and wellness.

These procedures include Mediport placement, abscess drainage, skin lesion removal, soft tissue mass and lipoma removal, pilonidal cyst excision, and wound care.

Part of his commitment to outstanding care is the transparency with every procedure. He will keep you informed of a recommended course of action and why he advises you to get it. This freedom of information helps to calm your fears about your prognosis and the surgery he performs. Armed with a full understanding of a procedure and what to expect as a result, you can accept our prognosis is for your well-being. For questions or to schedule an appointment, give us a call today.

Mediport Placement

Mediport placement is a minimally invasive, minor surgical procedure that connects a mediport to a vein using a catheter (or tube). It is usually performed using local anesthesia or conscious sedation, as well as pain control medication. The doctor surgically implants the mediport in the upper chest under the skin, requiring only two incisions. Mediports are typically placed for patients who need long-term IV access for chemotherapy or other medications.

Abscess Draining

An abscess is an infected fluid collection, most commonly located in the skin. Treatment of an abscess typically involves surgical drainage and antibiotics. For the procedure, the area is cleaned and sterilized. Local anesthetic is injected. The doctor makes an incision over the abscess, drains out the pus, and cleans out the space using a sterile saline solution. We leave the incision open and cover it to absorb any additional pus that the wound might produce. If your abscess is especially deep or large, the doctor might place a gauze “wick” inside to keep the abscess open. This helps the tissue heal correctly and absorbs any pus or blood while it heals. Large abscesses may require drainage in the operating room under general anesthesia.

Skin Lesion & Mass Removal

Removing a skin lesion or mass can be performed using multiple methods, depending on its depth or expansion. Shave excision removes lesions that rise over the skin or only occupy the upper layer of skin, using a small blade after we numb the area. For simple scissor excision, the doctor uses forceps to lightly pull up the mass or lesion and cut around it, using small, curved scissors. This is also suitable for lesions or masses on the upper layer of skin or rising above the skin. A skin excision removes a mass or lesions in deeper skin layers and down into the fatty layer, if necessary. The doctor also removes a minor amount of healthy surrounding skin to make sure there aren’t any possible cancer cells. In any of these cases, especially if cancerous growth is suspected, we may run a biopsy on the lesion or growth. Small lesions may be amenable to excision in the clinic, but larger lesions will require excision in an operating room.

Lipoma Removal

Lipoma happens when a lump of fat grows in your body’s soft tissue. While the medical community classifies them as tumors, they’re ordinarily harmless. The doctor will thoroughly check it to determine if it’s just a lipoma or something serious. It isn’t always necessary to remove a lipoma, but the procedure is a simple incision and extraction. It’s uncommon for a lipoma to recur after we remove it.

Pilonidal Cyst Removal

Pilonidal cysts are just a swelling on the sacrum close to the tail bone that starts under the skin. It looks like a dimple, and your skin oils, hair, and dead skin can fill it. The inflammation around the cyst will be excised in the operating room. If the cyst is infected, the surgeon makes an incision to open the abscess cavity and drain out the pus, along with any hair or debris that might’ve accumulated. Wound care is generally required for 2-6 weeks after excision of a pilonidal cyst.

Wound Care

There are two types of wounds to address: acute wounds and chronic wounds. Acute wounds include surgical incisions, burns, abrasions, and lacerations with the risk of infection. These typically heal within three weeks. Chronic wounds tend to take a minimum of three months. They typically occur as a complication from other diseases like pressure ulcers, foot ulcers, and neurodegenerative processes. Treatment includes swabbing for infection, cleaning the wound, dressing it, and possible debridement of the wound. Dr. Sutker may refer you to a wound care center for chronic wound management.

To learn more about our other general surgery procedures in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area, please reach out to our office to schedule a consultation.