Surgery
Surgery is a medical specialty using manual techniques to treat conditions.
Surgery is a medical specialty that uses manual and instrumental techniques to diagnose or treat pathological conditions, alter bodily functions, reconstruct or alter aesthetics, or remove unwanted tissues, neoplasms, and foreign bodies. Most surgical procedures are performed by a pair of operators—a surgeon and a surgical assistant—often supported by a larger surgical team including an anaesthetist, scrub nurse, circulating nurse, and surgical technologist. All surgical procedures are considered invasive and typically require postoperative care.
- field
- Medical specialty
- known_for
- Manual and instrumental techniques to treat disease, injury, and deformity
- types
- Elective, emergency, urgent; bariatric, exploratory, plastic, cosmetic, reconstructive, therapeutic, curative
- common_team
- Surgeon, surgical assistant, anaesthetist, scrub nurse, circulating nurse, surgical technologist
Lore & Background
Surgery encompasses a wide range of procedures categorized by urgency, purpose, type of procedure, organ system, invasiveness, and equipment used. Elective surgery is performed at the patient's convenience for non-life-threatening conditions, while emergency surgery must be done without delay to prevent death or serious disability. Urgent surgery is postponed only briefly to avoid complications. By purpose, surgery includes bariatric procedures for weight loss, exploratory surgery for diagnosis, plastic surgery for function or appearance, and therapeutic surgery to treat diagnosed conditions.
Reader's Guide
Surgery's significance lies in its ability to directly intervene in the body to treat trauma, disease, malignancy, and deformity, as well as to alter bodily functions or aesthetics. The field has developed numerous specialized techniques—from conventional open surgery to minimally invasive procedures using natural orifices or small incisions—and relies on a coordinated team of medical professionals. Surgical procedures are typically one-off interventions, though they require careful postoperative care due to the iatrogenic trauma inflicted. The categorization of surgery by urgency, purpose, and invasiveness helps guide clinical decision-making and resource allocation. Its legacy is evident in the wide range of specialties—cardiac, neurosurgery, orthopedic, and others—each addressing specific organ systems or body regions.
Did You Know?
- In British colloquialism, 'surgery' can also refer to the facility where surgery is performed or the office of a physician, dentist, or veterinarian.
- Non-survival surgery, or terminal surgery, is performed under anesthesia for euthanasia, usually in animal testing experiments.
- Minimally invasive surgeries may use natural orifices (e.g., nostril, mouth, anus, urethra) or percutaneous approaches such as arthroscopy or angioplasty.
- A surgical team typically includes a surgeon, surgical assistant, anaesthetist, scrub nurse, circulating nurse, and surgical technologist; procedures requiring cardiopulmonary bypass also include a perfusionist.
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