General Surgery
What it Includes
General surgery is a medical specialty that focuses on a wide range of surgical procedures, including:
- Abdominal organs: General surgeons operate on the stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix, and bile ducts.
- Breast, skin, and soft tissue: General surgeons treat conditions of the breast, skin, and soft tissue.
- Head and neck: General surgeons treat conditions of the head and neck, including tumors of the thyroid, parathyroid, salivary glands, and oral cavity.
- Blood vessels: General surgeons treat conditions of the vascular system, excluding the heart and intracranial vessels.
- Endocrine system: General surgeons treat conditions of the endocrine system, including the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, and endocrine pancreas.
- Trauma: General surgeons manage care for patients with injuries to the head, hand, and musculoskeletal system.
- Critical care: General surgeons provide care for critically ill patients in the emergency room, intensive care unit, and trauma/burn units.
- General surgeons are responsible for the preoperative, operative, and postoperative care of patients. They must be competent in diagnosis, treatment, and management, including operative intervention.