General and Laparoscopic Surgery

General surgery is a surgical specialty that focuses on performing operations involving a wide range of body systems, excluding the brain, spine, and heart. It involves the surgical treatment of various diseases, injuries, and conditions that affect the abdomen, digestive tract, breast, skin, soft tissues, and endocrine system, among others.

Common procedures in general surgery include:

• Appendectomy: Removal of the appendix.
• Cholecystectomy: Removal of the gallbladder.
• Hernia repair: Repair of a protrusion of an organ or tissue through a weak spot in the abdominal wall.
• Colectomy: Removal of part or all of the colon.
• Thyroidectomy: Removal of all or part of the thyroid gland.
• Mastectomy: Removal of the breast tissue, often performed in cases of breast cancer.

Laparoscopic surgery, also known as minimally invasive surgery, is a specific technique used in general surgery and other surgical specialties. It involves performing surgical procedures using small incisions and specialized instruments, including a laparoscope (a thin, flexible tube with a camera and light source). The laparoscope allows the surgeon to view the surgical site on a video monitor.

Laparoscopic surgery can be used for a variety of procedures, including:

• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: Removal of the gallbladder.
• Laparoscopic appendectomy: Removal of the appendix.
• Laparoscopic hernia repair: Repair of a hernia using mesh.
• Laparoscopic colectomy: Removal of part or all of the colon.
• Laparoscopic gastric bypass: A weight-loss surgery technique.