Editing General surgery (section)

==Scope==

General surgeons may sub-specialise into one or more of the following disciplines:<ref>{{cite web | title = Surgery — General Specialty Description | publisher = American Medical Association | url = https://www.ama-assn.org/specialty/surgery-general-specialty-description | access-date = 21 Sep 2020}}</ref>

===Trauma surgery===
{{Main|Trauma surgery}}
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2022}}
In many parts of the world including [[North America]], [[Australia]] and the [[UK|United Kingdom]], the overall responsibility for [[major trauma|trauma care]] falls under the auspices of general surgery. Some general surgeons obtain advanced training in this field (most commonly surgical critical care) and specialty certification surgical critical care. General surgeons must be able to deal initially with almost any surgical emergency. Often, they are the first port of call to critically ill or gravely injured patients, and must perform a variety of procedures to stabilize such patients, such as thoracostomy, [[cricothyroidotomy]], compartment fasciotomies and emergency [[laparotomy]] or [[thoracotomy]] to [[wikt:stanch|stanch]] bleeding. They are also called upon to staff surgical intensive care units or trauma intensive care units.{{citation needed|date=October 2011}}

All general surgeons are trained in emergency surgery. Bleeding, infections, bowel obstructions and organ perforations are the main problems they deal with. [[Cholecystectomy]], the surgical removal of the gallbladder, is one of the most common surgical procedures done worldwide. This is most often done electively, but the gallbladder can become acutely inflamed and require an emergency operation. Infections and rupture of the [[Vermiform appendix|appendix]] and small bowel obstructions are other common emergencies.

===Laparoscopic surgery===
{{Main|Laparoscopic surgery}}
This is a relatively new specialty dealing with [[Minimally invasive procedures|minimal access techniques]] using cameras and small instruments inserted through 3- to 15-mm  incisions. [[Robotic surgery]] is now evolving from this concept (see below). Gallbladders, appendices, and colons can all be removed with this technique. Hernias are also able to be repaired laparoscopically. [[Bariatric surgery]] can be performed laparoscopically and there are benefits of doing so to reduce wound complications in [[obese]] patients. General surgeons that are trained today are expected to be proficient in laparoscopic procedures.

===Colorectal surgery===
{{Main|Colorectal surgery}}
General surgeons treat a wide variety of major and minor colon and rectal diseases including inflammatory bowel diseases (such as [[ulcerative colitis]] or [[Crohn's disease]]), [[diverticulitis]], colon and rectal cancer, gastrointestinal bleeding and hemorrhoids.

=== Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery ===
General surgeons can specialise in Upper Gastro-intestinal (or [[foregut]]) surgery, which includes the surgical treatment of diseases of the [[stomach]] and [[Esophagus|oesophagus]], [[liver]], [[pancreas]] and [[gallbladder]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=sitecore\kshehan@rcseng.ac.uk |title=Surgical Specialties |url=https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/careers-in-surgery/trainees/foundation-and-core-trainees/surgical-specialties/ |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=Royal College of Surgeons |language=en}}</ref> In the UK, Upper GI surgeons can subspecialise further as benign surgeons, dealing with [[Hiatal hernia|hiatus hernias]] and gallbladder diseases, bariatric surgeons, providing surgical care for [[weight management]] and metabolic diseases, or oesophago-gastric surgeons, dealing with complex problems related to the upper gastrointestinal tract (the foregut), including cancer. Surgical care of complex liver and pancreatic problems (including [[liver cancer]] and [[pancreatic cancer]]) is undertaken by [[Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery]] sub-specialists.

===Breast surgery===
{{Main|Breast surgery}}
General surgeons perform a majority of all non-cosmetic breast surgery from lumpectomy to [[mastectomy]], especially pertaining to the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of [[breast cancer]].

===Vascular surgery===
{{Main|Vascular surgery}}
General surgeons can perform vascular surgery if they receive special training and certification in vascular surgery. Otherwise, these procedures are typically performed by vascular surgery specialists. However, general surgeons are capable of treating minor vascular disorders.

===Endocrine surgery===
{{Main|Endocrine surgery}}
General surgeons are trained to remove all or part of the thyroid and [[parathyroid gland]]s in the neck and the [[adrenal glands]] just above each [[Kidney (organ)|kidney]] in the abdomen. In many communities, they are the only surgeon trained to do this. In communities that have a number of subspecialists, other subspecialty surgeons may assume responsibility for these procedures.

===Transplant surgery===
{{Main|Transplant surgery}}

Responsible for all aspects of pre-operative, operative, and post-operative care of abdominal organ transplant patients.  Transplanted organs include liver, kidney, pancreas, and more rarely small bowel.

===Surgical oncology===
{{Main|Surgical oncology}}
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2022}}
Surgical oncologist refers to a general surgical oncologist (a specialty of a general surgeon), but thoracic surgical oncologists, gynecologist and so forth can all be considered surgeons who specialize in treating cancer patients.  The importance of training surgeons who sub-specialize in cancer surgery lies in evidence, supported by a number of clinical trials, that outcomes in surgical cancer care are positively associated to surgeon volume (i.e., the more cancer cases a surgeon treats, the more proficient he or she becomes, and his or her patients experience improved survival rates as a result). This is another controversial point, but it is generally accepted, even as common sense, that a surgeon who performs a given operation more often, will achieve superior results when compared with a surgeon who rarely performs the same procedure. This is particularly true of complex cancer resections such as [[pancreaticoduodenectomy]] for pancreatic cancer, and [[gastrectomy]] with extended (D2) lymphadenectomy for gastric cancer. Surgical oncology is generally a 2-year fellowship following completion of a general surgery residency (5–7 years).

===Cardiothoracic surgery===
{{Main|Cardiothoracic surgery}}

Most cardiothoracic surgeons in the U.S. (D.O. or M.D.) first complete a general surgery residency (typically 5–7 years), followed by a cardiothoracic surgery fellowship (typically 2–3 years). However, new programmes are currently offering cardiothoracic surgery as a residency (6–8 years).

===Pediatric surgery=== 
{{Main|Pediatric surgery}}

Pediatric surgery is a subspecialty of general surgery. Pediatric surgeons do surgery on patients under age 18. Pediatric surgery is 5–7 years of residency and a 2–3 year fellowship.