What a General Surgeon does, generally!
The following list presents the core competency of a general surgeon
finishing his or her training. Depending upon additional training, special
concentration in an individual residency, and practical experience after
training, general surgeons may perform all or only some of the procedures
listed below. Some general surgeons might perform additional surgical
procedures that do not appear below. For example, one may find a general
surgeon who also performs advanced laparoscopic surgery, vascular surgery, thoracic surgery, or surgery of the head and neck.
General Surgeons perform comprehensive general surgery examinations,
consultation, diagnosis, and treatment planning, which includes:
Assessment and treatment of:
- Trauma
- Wounds and conditions of soft tissue, including aspiration, biopsy, and repair
- Cysts and abscesses to include aspiration and incision and drainage
- Conditions involving the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal gland, including
biopsy and excision
- Conditions of the ovaries and testes, including biopsy and excision
- Abdominal wall hernias, including repair
- Tumors, congenital, and inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract to
include operations on
- Tumors, congenital, and inflammatory diseases of the liver and biliary tract to
include operations on
- Breast conditions to include aspiration, biopsy, and evaluation
- Peptic and duodenal ulcer disease
- Varicose veins
Procedures:
- Insertion of monitoring catheters and intravenous lines
- Skin grafting
- Nerve and artery biopsy
- Lymph node biopsy or excision
- Tracheostomy
- Thoracentesis
- Radical, modified radical, total, and segmental mastectomies
- Paracentesis, peritoneal lavage, and endoscopy, with or without biopsy
- Gastrotomy and gastrostomy
- Hemorrhoidectomy, fissurectomy, fistulectomy, and sphincterotomy
- Exploratory laparotomy
- Ostomy formation and management
- Drainage of intraperitoneal abscess
- Internal hernia, including diaphragmatic
- Splenectomy and splenorrhaphy
- Tube thoracostomy
- Pericardiocentesis
- Repair of wound disruptions
- Major and minor amputations
- Radical groin and axillary dissection with or without removal of limb
- Appendectomy
- Burn care
- Endoscopic dilatation or sphincterotomy
- Colonoscopy and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, with or without biopsy
- Laparoscopic cholecystectomy
- Laparoscopic appendectomy
- Diagnostic laparoscopy