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Memorial Center for Integrative Endocrine Surgery

Memorial Center for Integrative Endocrine Surgery is dedicated to the treatment of hyperparathyroidism, thyroid cancer, and adrenal tumors (hormone- and nonhormone-secreting). Our collaborative medical and surgical approach emphasizes ease and convenience for patients, with one source for diagnosis and treatment. The focus is on minimally invasive surgical techniques (less-than-1-inch incisions), which can diminish postoperative infection and pain and allow same-day discharge.

Minimally invasive endocrine surgery is a common treatment for most people diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism or a lump (nodule) on the thyroid or adrenal glands.

Three key factors can help determine the outcomes of endocrine surgery:

• The quality of the preoperative evaluation by the endocrinologist and his/her personal skill in performing high resolution office ultrasonography for detection of tiny thyroid and parathyroid tumors
• The endocrine surgeon's skill and experience with minimally invasive procedures
• The advanced technologies available in the operating room to enhance the chances for a successful surgery

Our Physicians

R. Mack Harrell, MD,
FACP, FACE, ECNU

David Bimston, MD,
FSSO, FACS

Why Use Memorial Center for Integrative Endocrine Surgery for Your Endocrine Care?

• Drs. Harrell and Bimston have more than 30 years of combined endocrinology and endocrine surgery experience and have co-managed 100s of thyroid and adrenal nodule surgeries since 2005.
• Drs. Harrell and Bimston pioneered a collaborative medical and surgical approach to the evaluation and minimally invasive surgical treatment of hyperparathyroidism, thyroid nodules and adrenal nodules.
• The center's boutique care model creates an environment where all preparation for surgery takes place in a single office setting, and the physicians take great pride in providing individualized care with a personal touch.
• Board-certified endocrinologist Dr. R.Mack Harrell is among fewer than 200 physicians worldwide who have completed the Endocrine Neck Ultrasound (ECNU) program, administered by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology. At the Memorial Center for Endocrine Surgery, Dr. Harrell performs all endocrine ultrasound himself in the leading-edge office ultrasound suites.
• Dr. Harrell personally performs all thyroid, parathyroid and neck lymph node biopsies in the center's office ultrasound suites. He also performs thyroid cyst ablations with ethanol under ultrasound guidance.
• Memorial Center for Integrative Endocrine Surgery has received accreditation by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM). AIUM develops national standards for ultrasound staff qualifications and performance, facilities and equipment, procedural protocols, record-keeping and quality assurance methods, and policies for patient safety. Accreditation is granted only after a facility undergoes a rigorous peer review process and must be repeated every three years.
• Dr. Bimston performs many parathyroid surgeries using local MAC (monitored anesthesia care). Patients given monitored anesthesia care instead of general anesthesia do not usually require a breathing tube during surgery. They are less at risk to suffer side effects and typically experience a faster postoperative recovery.
• While the patient is still under general anesthesia, Dr. Bimston uses rapid intra-operative parathyroid hormone measurement to help determine if the surgery is successful. This precaution should minimize the risk of incomplete removal of diseased parathyroid glands.
• When planning thyroid cancer surgery, Drs. Bimston and Harrell map the entire neck (not just the central portion) with high resolution ultrasound, in the effort to make sure that all cancerous lymph nodes are removed along with the thyroid cancer in a single surgery.
• Drs. Harrell and Bimston take great care to make sure that patients' primary care physicians and endocrinologists are provided information about how an evaluation is proceeding and which surgery is planned and performed. All patients return to their care providers with full medical and operative reports generated by Epic, Memorial's integrated electronic medical records system.

Is Your Doctor a Memorial Doctor?
To find a physician who is committed to South Florida healthcare services, call Memorial Physician Referral Service toll-free at 800-944-DOCS. We're available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.