Surgery

Surgery is a specialized branch of medicine. It involves using manual techniques and various instruments to treat patients. Doctors perform surgery to diagnose or treat pathological conditions. These conditions include diseases, injuries, trauma, or malignancies.

Surgeons also use these techniques to alter bodily functions. For example, bariatric surgery can change how the body absorbs nutrients. Some procedures focus on aesthetics through cosmetic surgery. Others aim to reconstruct or alter a person's appearance. Surgery can also remove unwanted tissues, neoplasms, or foreign bodies.

Performing surgery requires a highly coordinated surgical team. The surgeon acts as the main operator. A surgical assistant provides manual help during the procedure. An anaesthetist manages sedation or anesthesia to keep the patient comfortable.

A scrub nurse handles all sterile equipment. A circulating nurse and a surgical technologist also assist the team. If a procedure requires a cardiopulmonary bypass, a perfusionist is included. All surgical procedures are considered invasive. This means they cause iatrogenic trauma to the body. Because of this, patients often require postoperative care or intensive care to recover. The duration of a procedure can range from a few minutes to tens of hours.

Medical professionals categorize surgery in several different ways. One method is based on timing and urgency. Emergency surgery must be performed without delay to prevent death or limb loss. Semi-elective surgery is better done early to avoid complications, but it can be postponed slightly. Elective surgery is scheduled at a convenient time for the patient and the facility.

Another way to categorize surgery is by its specific purpose. Bariatric surgery assists with weight loss. Exploratory surgery helps establish a diagnosis. Plastic surgery can be used to improve function or appearance. Reconstructive plastic surgery specifically repairs damaged or malformed body parts.

Surgeons also classify procedures by the type of action being taken. Ablation involves destroying tissue using energy, such as lasers or freezing. Amputation is the removal of an entire limb or digit. Replantation is the process of reattaching a severed body part.

Grafting involves moving tissue from one part of the body to another. Transplantation is the replacement of an organ using tissue from a different human or animal. Surgeons also perform resections, which is the removal of part or all of an organ. The specific term used often depends on the target area. For example, an excision removes only part of a tissue. An exenteration is the complete removal of all organs within a body cavity.

Technological advancements have changed how surgeons access the body. Conventional open surgery requires a large incision to expose the internal cavity. Hybrid surgery combines open techniques with minimally invasive methods. Minimally invasive surgery uses much smaller incisions or natural orifices.

This includes laparoscopic surgery or angioplasty. Specialized equipment can also be used. Cryosurgery uses low temperatures to destroy tissue. Electrosurgery uses electrocautery to cut or coagulate. Endoscopic surgery uses optical instruments to relay images from inside the body. Modern surgeons may even use robotic systems like the Da Vinci to control instruments remotely.

Medical terminology provides a precise way to name these procedures. Many names use specific prefixes and suffixes. When a surgeon removes a part of an organ, the name ends in the suffix -ectomy. A subtotal gastrectomy is the removal of part of the stomach. Procedures that involve cutting into an organ end in -otomy, such as a laparotomy. Minimally invasive procedures using an endoscope end in -oscopy.

To create a permanent opening called a stoma, the suffix -ostomy is used. Plastic and reconstruction procedures often end in -plasty. For instance, a rhinoplasty is surgery performed on the nose. Repairing a damaged structure often uses the suffix -orraphy.

Surgery is organized into many different medical specialties. These are often categorized by the organ system involved. Cardiac surgery focuses on the heart and great vessels. Neurosurgery treats the central nervous system.

Orthopedic surgery deals with the musculoskeletal system. Urological surgery focuses on the genitourinary system. There are also age-specific specialties. Fetal surgery treats unborn children. Pediatric surgery treats infants and adolescents. Geriatric surgery is tailored specifically for the needs of older adults. This organized approach ensures that experts can treat specific parts of the human body with precision.