Surgeon's Expertise Enhances Treatment For Colorectal Disease

Dr. J. Michael Parker spent the last year in sunny Los Angeles. But he wasn’t surfing or hobnobbing with Hollywood celebrities. Instead, he was completing a fellowship in colorectal surgery at the University of Southern California.

“I came to Middlesex Hospital as a general surgeon in 2011 and quickly realized there was a need to offer this type of surgery for patients in a more local, convenient setting,” Dr. Parker explained. His year-long focus in the fellowship involved surgery for colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, pelvic dysfunction disorders, and anal/rectal disorders.

Dr. Parker practices with the Middlesex Hospital Surgical Alliance, which comprises a number of other surgical specialists, including those for breast and lung diseases.

According to Dr. Parker, “When medical management of colorectal issues proves to not be effective, I can offer a surgical solution for patients with complex issues.”

The majority of surgeries that Dr. Parker performs are minimally invasive, which can be valuable to patients in terms of reducing pain and returning to everyday activities sooner than with traditional, open surgical methods.

In addition to his recent fellowship for colorectal surgery, Dr. Parker also completed fellowship training at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, with a focus on hernia repair and gastrointestinal surgery.

Dr. Parker practices in Middletown and Westbrook. For more information about Dr. Parker and the surgical services he provides, go to www.midhosp.org or call the Middlesex Hospital Surgical Alliance at (860) 358-2850.