General Surgery

By Dr. Damien Jonas Wilson, MDReviewed by Dr. Liji Thomas, MD

General surgery, as the name denotes, encompasses a broad spectrum of operative procedures with regard to the diagnosis and treatment of injuries and diseases in any region of the body. Its scope of interest includes the skin, breasts, abdomen, peripheral vasculature, and head and neck, among other areas.

This specialty may focus on the abdominal viscera, which includes the small and large bowels, liver, gall bladder and bile ducts, pancreas, appendix, spleen, and stomach.

General surgeons are the professionals responsible for carrying out these procedures. They are also involved in diagnosis and operative care before, during, and after surgery.

In many jurisdictions, general surgeons may also manage critically ill patients and trauma victims. Training usually commences after the completion of a primary degree in medicine and lasts for at least five years in many countries.

Abdominal surgery

This subspecialty of general surgery refers to operations involving the abdominal organs and structures. Indications for abdominal surgery include inflammation, obstruction, infection, and tumors. The types of abdominal surgery vary depending on the etiology of the indication.

Common abdominal surgeries include appendectomies (i.e., removal of an inflamed appendix), repair of hernias (i.e., protrusion of bowel through the abdominal wall), and removal of diseased segments of bowel in cases of inflammatory bowel disease and malignancy.

Breast surgery

General surgeons perform a variety of non-cosmetic surgical operations on the breast that range from simple removal of lumps to complete removal of breasts. Some other surgical indications for breast operations are to increase or reduce the size of breasts, obtain tissue samples for investigating lesions, and drainage of abscesses.

Peripheral vascular surgery

General surgeons with subspecialty training in peripheral vascular surgery may operate on disorders affecting the peripheral arteries and veins. These procedures include the use of pharmacotherapy, catheters, mechanical devices, and balloons to maintain vessel patency. This is necessary to prevent and treat vascular diseases such as strokes, cramps, and limb amputations.

Head and neck surgery

This subdivision of general surgery treats conditions involving head and neck malignancies, as well as diseases of the glands in this region and sinuses.

This subspecialty also includes the treatment of congenital deformations (e.g., cleft palate and ear reconstruction) and reconstructive operations of head and neck structures. In some jurisdictions, maxillofacial surgeons or otolaryngologists sometimes perform these procedures.

Skin surgery

Skin surgery may be conducted for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, the removal of cysts, moles, malignant lesions, and other growths. This is often routinely done with the help of local anesthesia and may be done by a general surgeon.

Trauma surgery and critical care

In many jurisdictions, trauma surgery falls under the auspices of general surgical operations. Trauma is usually an emergency, and as such, general surgeons with advanced training in trauma must be prepared to deal with patients requiring urgent surgical care. Emergencies include perforation of internal organs, bleeding, bowel obstructions, and massive infections.

References

• https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms?CdrID=442861
• https://residency.wustl.edu/
• https://wuphysicians.wustl.edu/medical-services/specialties/ear-nose-and-throat-otolaryngology/head-and-neck-surgery
• https://www.floridahospital.com/abdominal-surgery
• https://kalrahospital.com/clinical-services/peripheral-vascular-surgery

Further Reading

• All Surgery Content
• What is Remote Surgery/Telesurgery?
• Intraoperative Monitoring (IOM)
• Elective Surgery
• Transplant Surgery