Dr Bass is experienced in surgical removal of benign and malignant tumors within the organs of the digestive and endocrine systems as well as providing long-term vascular access for hemodialysis.

Dr. Thomas Bass is an expert in specialty general surgery for patients in Southwest Florida. He specializes in abdominal procedures using minimally invasive surgery and advanced laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery.

Benign and Malignant Masses

Tumors are masses of abnormal tissue growing somewhere in the body.  The majority of tumors are non cancerous and surgical removal provides an effective treatment in most cases.  Cancerous tumors usually require a combination of chemical, surgical and possibly radiation treatments. Dr. Bass at the Surgical Consultants of Southwest Florida works with your oncologist and other health care providers to provide you with the best options for treatment.

Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Insertion

Dr. Bass at Surgical Consultants of southwest Florida is an expert in placing peritoneal dialysis catheters for kidney failure.  In some cases, the catheter can be inserted using local anesthetic and a minimum of time away from normal activity. More about surgical perotoneal dialysis catheter placement »

Peritoneal Catheter Insertion

Your kidneys are responsible for removing extra fluid and waste from your body. If your kidneys fail, waste can build up in the blood and cause extreme sickness or death. Peritoneal dialysis can help people who are suffering from kidney failure get rid of the excess fluids and waste.

How Peritoneal Dialysis Works

During peritoneal dialysis, a liquid solution is pumped into the abdominal cavity. This solution contains dextrose, a sugar that pulls waste and extra fluid through the peritoneum, the lining of the abdomen. That abdomen is now filled with a liquid solution containing the excess fluid and waste that would normally be removed by the kidneys. This fluid is now drained from the abdomen. The filling and draining of the abdomen is repeated several times.

There are two types of peritoneal dialysis:

• Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis: the patient fills the abdomen with dialysis solution and goes on with her day. After 4 or 5 hours, the patient drains and discards the solution. This is repeated several times during the day.
• Continuous Cycler-Assisted Peritoneal Dialysis: a machine is used to fill and empty the abdomen several times while you sleep. In many cases, the abdomen will also be filled once at the beginning of the day and drained again at the end of the day.