General Surgery

General surgery is a discipline that requires knowledge of and responsibility for the preoperative, operative, and postoperative management of patients with a broad spectrum of diseases, including those which may require nonoperative, elective, or emergency surgical treatment. The breadth and depth of this knowledge may vary by disease category. Surgical management requires skill in complex decision making; general surgeons should be competent in diagnosis as well as treatment and management, including operative intervention.

A general surgeon has specialized knowledge of the entire surgical process, from the initial evaluation through preparation, procedure, and post-operative management. A general surgeon understands all nine basic areas of surgery, which are:

• The digestive tract
• The abdomen and its contents
• The skin and soft tissue, including the breasts
• The head and neck,
• The blood vessels and heart
• The endocrine system (hormones and glands)
• Surgical treatment of cancer
• Surgical management of traumatic injuries
• Care of critically ill patients with surgical needs

Today, most general surgeons are familiar with minimally invasive techniques like laparoscopy. Laparoscopic surgeries involve much smaller tools, including tiny cameras that let the surgeon see what’s going on inside your body. These specialized instruments mean that the surgeon can make much smaller cuts than they would with traditional procedures.

General surgeons have a broad knowledge of many different diseases and conditions. They will recommend whether you need surgery and what kind of surgery would be appropriate.

General surgeons know:

• The body’s healthy structure and function
• How wounds heal
• How blood flows and clots
• How the immune system functions
• Infections and antibiotics

Because a general surgeon treats a wide variety of people and conditions, they have to meet unique needs.