Surgical Procedures: Types, Anesthesia, and Risks

Understanding Surgical Procedures

Surgical treatment, or surgery, can be classified into major surgery and minor surgery. Major surgery involves complex interventions, such as cardiac procedures, while minor surgery typically involves interventions on the surface of the skin.

Types of Surgical Procedures

• Major Surgical Operations

  When we refer to a surgical intervention, we are often talking about a major surgical operation. Due to their importance and complexity, these procedures could lead to serious complications after surgery. Therefore, the patient should remain in the hospital for some time to be controlled and treated by medical personnel. An example is the removal of the appendix.

• Minor Surgical Interventions

  In contrast, minor surgical interventions include those that are simple, of short duration, and performed on accessible and superficial tissues. The number of complications is often scarce. An example is the removal of warts.

• Outpatient Surgery

  Due to medical advances, some surgical procedures that once required hospitalization are now performed on an outpatient basis. This means the patient goes to the hospital, undergoes the operation, and returns home within hours of the procedure. An example is cataract surgery.

For a patient undergoing surgery, it is necessary to administer an anesthetic drug that eliminates pain sensitivity. This procedure is called anesthesia.

Risks Associated with Surgery

Surgery carries inherent risks. Some are related to the surgical procedure itself and anesthesia (though risks from anesthesia are minimal today), while others are due to the patient's overall health.

Thanks to advances in science and technology, surgical techniques and devices have continuously improved. Surgeons are highly trained professionals, and anesthesia has also become significantly safer, as anesthesiologists are specialized physicians, and the drugs used are increasingly secure.

Understanding Anesthesia Types

Anesthesia is crucial for pain management during surgical procedures. There are three main types:

• Local Anesthesia

  Local anesthesia eliminates pain sensation in a small part of the body, for example, a small area of the skin. It is commonly used by dentists for minor procedures.

• Regional Anesthesia

  Regional anesthesia eliminates pain in a wider area, such as an entire limb or a specific region of the body. An example is epidural anesthesia, where the anesthetic is injected near the spinal cord. It is often utilized during childbirth.

• General Anesthesia

  General anesthesia eliminates pain throughout the entire body, and the patient loses consciousness, entering a complete sleep-like state. It is used in many major surgical procedures.

When is Surgery Performed?

Surgical interventions can be categorized based on their urgency:

• Emergency Surgery

  Some interventions require immediate surgery because further delay could lead to severe complications. This is known as emergency surgery. Examples include acute appendicitis or intestinal occlusion.

• Scheduled Surgery

  The remaining operations are scheduled surgeries. These allow for the patient's general health situation to be assessed and improved, ensuring they undergo surgery in the best possible condition. An example is the extirpation of tonsils.