General Surgery Procedures

Breast surgery is performed on the breast for benign or malignant conditions:

Lumpectomy which is the removal of breast lump and its surrounding tissues while maintaining the appearance of the breast. This is recommended if a biopsy has shown early-stage cancer, or the cancer is still small. Lumpectomy may also be used to remove non-malignant breast abnormalities.

Mastectomy where the entire breast is removed. This is for women with multiple or large areas of ductal carcinoma or for women seeking to remove the possibility of breast cancer occurring.

Breast augmentation is performed to enhance the appearance of a woman's breasts. Typically, this is done using implants placed over or under the pectoralis chest muscle.

Breast reduction reduces breast appearance, volume and contour while preserving breast sensation and function. It removes excess skin, fat, and glandular tissue. The benefits of this surgery may include reduced neck pain, back pain, and skin irritation symptoms.

Breast reconstruction seeks to recreate a breast with the desired appearance, contour, and volume using implants or with a woman's own tissue. Although the nipple is recreated, normal breast sensation and breastfeeding abilities are lost when nerves or milk glands/ducts are removed or injured.

Gastrointestinal surgery treats patients who are suffering from surgical diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal surgery covers two areas: upper gastrointestinal surgery and colorectal surgery.

Common gastrointestinal surgeries include:

• Colon cancer surgery
• Pancreatic cancer surgery
• Hernia surgery
• GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) surgeries
• Liver disease surgeries

Upper gastrointestinal surgery can be used to treat or diagnose patients who have the following conditions using techniques such as laser therapy, laparoscopic surgery, endoscopy, and thoracic surgery may be used when necessary:

• Oesophageal diseases such as reflux oesophagitis, oesophageal obstruction, hiatal hernia, and oesophageal cancer
• Hepatobiliary (liver) diseases including benign and malignant disease of the liver and biliary tract. Patients who have symptoms such as jaundice, pancreatitis, or cholelithiasis may also be evaluated
• Gastroduodenal diseases such as patients with reflux problems, gastric or duodenal ulcers or cancers

Some common upper gastrointestinal surgeries include:

• Nissen fundoplication - reinforces the lower oesophageal sphincter is used to treat patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Roux en-Y - a common gastric bypass procedure which reduces the size of a patient’s stomach, restricting the volume of food that it can hold
• Whipple Procedure (pancreaticoduodenectomy) - which is a surgical procedure commonly used to treat pancreatic cancer

Colorectal surgery can be used to diagnose and treat patients with conditions affecting the bowels and associated organs such as colorectal cancer, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticular disease, and a wide variety of benign anorectal conditions including haemorrhoids, fissure in anus, etc.

Some common colorectal surgeries include:

• Appendicectomy - surgical removal of the appendix
• Haemorrhoidectomy - removes haemorrhoids which are distended veins in the lower rectum or anus. Other methods include laser haemorrhoidectomy, stapler, and rubber banding
• Partial colectomy - excises part of the large intestine (colon) to treat cancer of the colon or long-term ulcerative colitis

Hepatobiliary surgery is often the most effective therapy to treat liver and bile duct tumours. Other conditions for which surgery may help with symptoms or treatment include:

• Gallbladder surgery or cholecystectomy to remove the gallbladder due to gallstones
• Benign tumours such as haemangioma and focal nodular hyperplasia
• Liver cysts which are fluid-filled collections within the liver. Large cysts may cause symptoms such as pain or weight loss
• Bile duct cysts (choledochoceles) which are a risk factor for bile duct cancer
• Pancreatic resection or partial removal of the pancreas to treat pancreatic cancer
• Liver resection or partial removal of the liver is the most common procedure
• Liver transplant to replace a failing liver with a healthy one

The vascular system comprises veins and arteries that allow the transport of oxygen to cells in the body. Problems arise when these blood vessels are blocked.

Some common vascular surgery procedures include:

• Angioplasty and stenting - involves inserting a small tube into an artery in the groin before guiding a catheter through to the site of interest where a balloon or stents are then inserted into the blocked artery to widen the narrowed areas, improving blood flow
• Vascular bypass - to create an alternate path for blood flow
• Endovenous laser treatment - for varicose veins, an ultrasound-guided technique which kills the vein walls using laser energy
• Thrombectomy - to remove blood clots from an artery or a vein in order to restore blood flow as well as to prevent complications such as stroke

Risk factors for vascular issues include:

• Age
• Genetics/family history
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Hypertension
• Diabetes