General surgery

General surgery - a surgical specialty that focuses on surgical management of diseases of the abdominal organs.

General Surgery

General Surgery is a branch of medicine that focuses on surgical procedures involving the abdominal organs, including the esophagus, stomach, colon, liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts, as well as the thyroid gland and hernias. General surgeons are trained to manage a broad spectrum of diseases and injuries in almost any area of the body that requires surgery.

Scope of General Surgery

General Surgery traditionally involves techniques such as:

• Laparoscopic surgery: Minimally invasive surgery using small incisions.
• Open surgery: Traditional method involving larger incisions.
• Robotic surgery: Advanced technology where surgeons use robotic systems to perform procedures.

Subspecialties

The field of General Surgery includes several subspecialties, such as:

• Trauma surgery: Focuses on surgical treatment of injuries, often life-threatening, that require immediate attention.
• Laparoscopic surgery: Specializing in minimally invasive procedures within the abdomen.
• Colorectal surgery: Concentrates on disorders of the colon, rectum, and anus.
• Breast surgery: Encompasses both benign and malignant diseases of the breast.
• Vascular surgery: Specializes in diseases of the vascular system, or arteries and veins.

Diagnostic and Preoperative Management

General surgeons perform comprehensive preoperative, operative, and postoperative care, including the management of complications. They often work closely with other specialists to provide comprehensive patient care.

Training and Certification

To become a general surgeon, one must complete a five-year residency in general surgery after medical school. Board certification by the American Board of Surgery is achieved after passing rigorous examinations post-residency.

Surgical Procedures

Common procedures performed by general surgeons include:

• Appendectomy
• Cholecystectomy
• Hernia repair
• Mastectomy
• Partial colectomy

Challenges and Advancements

General Surgery is a constantly evolving field, with ongoing advancements in techniques, technology, and patient care. Surgeons must stay updated with these changes to provide the best outcomes for their patients.

Conditions treated

• Abdominoperineal resection
• Adhesions repair
• Achalasia
• Acute pancreatitis
• Adrenalectomy
• Adrenocortical carcinoma
• Ampullary cancer
• Anal cancer
• Anal fistula
• Appendicitis
• Barrett's esophagus
• Benign liver tumors
• Bowel obstruction
• Breast cancer
• Breast cancer prevention
• Carcinoid syndrome
• Cholecystectomy
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Colectomy
• Colon cancer
• Conn's syndrome
• Constipation
• Crohn's disease
• Cryosurgery
• Cushing's syndrome
• Cyberknife
• Distal pancreatectomy
• Diverticulitis
• Enterocutaneous fistula
• Esophageal cancer
• Esophagectomy
• Fecal incontinence
• Gallbladder cancer
• Gallstones
• Gastrectomy
• Goiter
• Heller myotomy
• Hemorrhoidectomy
• Hemorrhoids
• Hepatic artery embolization
• Hiatal hernia
• Hyperparathyroidism
• Hyperthyroidism
• Indigestion
• Inflammatory breast cancer
• Inguinal hernia
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Liver biopsy
• Liver metastases
• Liver resection
• Lynch syndrome
• Male breast cancer
• Medullary thyroid cancer
• Melanoma
• Merkel cell carcinoma
• Metabolic syndrome
• Microscopic colitis
• Microwave ablation
• Nissen fundoplication
• Obesity surgery
• Pancreatectomy
• Pancreatic cancer
• Parastomal hernia
• Parathyroid cancer
• Parathyroidectomy
• Pelvic floor dysfunction
• Pheochromocytoma
• Proctocolectomy
• Rectal cancer
• Sentinel lymph node biopsy
• Small intestine cancer
• Soft tissue sarcoma
• Spigelian hernia
• Thyroid cancer
• Thyroid nodules
• Thyroidectomy

Common general surgery procedures

• Ambulatory phlebectomy
• Appendectomy
• Breast biopsy, core and open
• Breast surgery
• Colon cancer resection surgery
• Cholecystectomy
• Hemorrhoidectomy
• Hernia repair
• Laparoscopy and laparascopic procedures
• Sclerotherapy and Ultrasound-Guided Sclerotherapy
• Thyroid surgery
• Varicose vein removal

General surgery journals

General surgeons such as General surgery keep themselves updated with the latest in the field of general surgery by following some of the following peer reviewed academic journals:

• International Journal of Surgery
• Surgery (journal)
• Annals of Surgery
• The American Journal of Surgery
• JAMA Surgery
• Journal of the American College of Surgeons

Do you know which of these journals General surgery as a provider follows?

List of General Surgeons (USA)

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

US territories

• American Samoa
• Guam
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Puerto Rico
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• District of Columbia

See Also

• Surgical Oncology
• Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Transplant Surgery
• Pediatric Surgery

References

General surgery Resources
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