MEDICAL CENTER PHYSICIAN PUBLISHES SECOND BOOK
ON LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY

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Dr. Ballantyne signing a copy of his latest book for Clare Woods of Oakhurst.

Garth H. Ballantyne, M.D., FACS, FASCRS, director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Section in the Department of Surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center, and a professor of surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, has just released his second book on laparoscopic surgery.

"Dr. Ballantyne's latest effort is further proof of his contributions to advances in surgical technology," said Richard J. Davies, M.D. of Saddle River, and chairman of the medical center's Department of Surgery. "We are privileged to have this dedicated medical professional on our team."

Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally-invasive technique that has advanced rapidly in the last decade for a variety of surgical procedures. The benefits of laparoscopic surgery over standard surgery are well-documented. A surgeon performs a laparoscopic procedure by using long, thin instruments inserted through small incisions in the body. Standard surgical techniques, however, require larger incisions. Because laparoscopic incisions are smaller, patients generally experience less pain, fewer complications, and a decreased recovery time.

Dr. Ballantyne's latest book, "The Atlas of Laparoscopic Surgery," was written as a companion piece to a textbook he wrote, "Laparoscopic Surgery." Both books were published by W.B. Saunders Company, a division of Harcourt Health Sciences Company. The books are marketed for surgeons, medical residents, fellows and health science libraries.

The new atlas illustrates 42 advanced laparoscopic procedures in step-by-step detail. In each chapter, internationally recognized laparoscopic surgeons discuss indications and contraindications, as well as patient selection and patient preparation for a wide variety of procedures, including Nissen fundoplication for acid reflux, also known as heartburn; donor nephrectomy for kidney transplant; and colectomy for bowel disease.

Hackensack University Medical Center, a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - New Jersey Medical School and a member of the University Health System of New Jersey, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in the state of New Jersey. The medical center has been honored since 1995 as the first hospital in New Jersey to receive the Magnet Award for nursing excellence from The American Nurses Credentialing Center, and the second hospital in the nation to receive a four-year redesignation of this award. The medical center is also the recipient of the Consumer Choice Award in Bergen and Passaic counties for four consecutive years. Based on a survey of 400,000 people to determine the best hospitals in the country, the medical center was named as the hospital of choice for quality of staff, community programs, personalized care, and overall reputation.