What are Surgical Diseases?

As very commonly known, surgical diseases are health problems that require Surgery / Operation for the definitive management or require Surgery as the major part of the treatment of the problem. Usually there is no medical treatment available for Surgical problems. In computer's language we can say that Surgery treats Hardware problems where as Medicine treats software problems of the body.

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I have been Diagnosed with a surgical problem and Operation has been advised by my Surgeon but I don't have much problems in my day to day life. Shall I wait or go for the Surgery as advised?

Since you have got a Diagnosis which needs Operation, you shall proceed for the procedure, irrespective of the fact that there is no significant problems at present. Delaying the surgery may take you towards complications.

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How long can I wait for Surgery if my Diagnosed problem is asymptomatic?

The timing of Surgery depends on multiple factors like the disease, patient's fitness, pre-existing conditions etc. Discuss with your Surgeon about the urgency of the procedure required.

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What are the investigations required before any Surgery? 

Any Surgery requires evaluation of General health and Fitness. Multiple blood tests and Imagings (USG, X Ray etc.) are required depending on the procedure being performed. In addition, Special tests may be required depending on other factors like any pre-existing disease (Diabetes, Hypertension, Cardiac Diseases etc.), presenting complains, nature of Surgery i.e. Emergency or Elective, Type of Anesthesia required etc. 

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I am on regular medication for a medical problem since long. Can I undergo an operation?

A pre-existing medical condition changes the risk profile of the patient, depending on the severity of the pre-existing condition. The more the number of medical diseases, the higher is the risk for Surgery. This may lead to additional evaluation and tests. If any abnormality is found, it is corrected before Surgery.

 

My Doctor informed that my pre-existing condition is not curable. What to do? 

Since a surgical condition have been diagnosed, patient needs to undergo the required operation keeping the High Risk in mind and this may sometimes mean a risk on life. Surgery should be performed in a multispeciality setup where facilities for management of the complications, if they occur, is available. A detailed discussion with your Surgeon is a must before the operation.

 

What is the overall step wise procedure for undergoing a Surgery?

The overall workflow for undergoing Surgery is as follows:

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Diagnosis - Surgery Advised - Pre Surgical Investigations - Review of Reports - PAC - Surgery Scheduled - Surgery Performed - Discharge to home.

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However if any abnormality is detected at any stage for e.g. High Blood Sugar, then first that abnormality is corrected and then only we can proceed for Surgery. This may involve additional tests, repeat tests etc. The above workflow is NOT applicable for Emergency Surgery.

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What happens in case of an Emergency Surgery?

In case of an Emergency Surgery, patient is taken up for Surgery even if patient parameters/investigations are abnormal. Although every attempt is made to stabilize the patient and correct the abnormalities, it is not always possible. 

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What is Day-Care Surgery?

Day care surgery means you get admitted, operated and discharged on the same day. There are multiple criteria to decide a day care surgery. The same procedure may need hospital stay for long in one patient and it may be done as Day-Care  procedure on another patient.

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What are the common Day- Care procedures?

Superficial skin lumps, circumcision, other procedures under local anesthesia are common day care procedures. With availability of advanced devices and techniques, procedures like hernia surgery, gallbladder surgery etc. are also becoming Day-Care procedures.

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What is Laparoscopic Surgery?

It is abdominal surgery performed by using very small sized incisions (5mm to 12mm). It is a different approach to the same surgical procedure. It is also known as "Keyhole Surgery". Also called as "Microsurgery" by many people.

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What are the benefits of Laparoscopic Surgery?

Better cosmesis, less pain, less wound infection, less bleeding, less hospital stay, fast recovery and early return to work are the benefits of laparoscopic surgery.

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Which is better - Open surgery or Laparoscopic Surgery?

Considering the advantages, Laparoscopic surgery is better but one should keep in mind that laparoscopic surgery has its own limitations and contraindications. Also, conversion to open surgery intra-operatively is a possibility in any laparoscopic surgery. Moreover, performing the surgery through laparoscopy doesn't make a major procedure minor. For details please see the Laparoscopic Surgery section.​

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When does a person starts moving after a Surgery?

Early mobility is the dictum after any abdominal surgery and the patient is advised to start moving as early as possible. Mobilization is earlier in cases of Laparoscopic Surgery due to small incisions. Prolonged bed rest is never advised except under special circumstances.

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When Does a person starts to eat?

Like early mobility, early feeding is also very important and depending on the Surgery performed and patient's condition, feeding is also started as early as possible, sometimes only 4-5 hrs after surgery.

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What are the lifestyle changes required after a Surgery?

This completely depends on the disease and the operation performed. While some Surgeries may not need any lifestyle modification, some Surgeries may demand multiple changes in day to day routine. 

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What are the risks of Surgery?

Any Surgery has certain risks associated. The risk directly depends on age, disease, co-morbidities and other factors like pre-eisting medications etc. The more complicated the disease, the more is the possibility of complications.

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What are the complications that may happen?

Common complications include prolonged pain, Surgical Site Infection, Haemorrhage/Hematoma etc. Specific complications have been discussed along with discussion on the diseases and the procedures.

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What is Anesthesia? 

"Anesthesia" means without sensation. It is a state of controlled, temporary loss of sensation or awareness that is induced for surgical purposes.

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What are the types of Anesthesia?

It may be General Anesthesia (Complete unconsciousness), Spinal Anesthesia (Anesthetic medication in the Spine, Not complete unconsciousness), and Local Anesthesia (Only area to be operated is anesthetized).

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What is PAC?

PAC means Pre-Anesthetic Checkup. It is the checkup and evaluation of the patient by the Anesthetist before Surgery. PAC involves clinical evaluation as well as investigations. Surgery may be postponed if PAC is not satisfactory.

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What is Robotic Surgery? Does a robot performs surgery?

It is surgery performed by using by a robotic instrument. The surgeon now performs the surgery through robotic arms. It is very beneficial in complicated cancer surgeries as it offers better visualization, precise control of instruments and less tiredness to surgeons. It also offers better reach to difficult parts of the abdomen. NO! The robot itself does not perform the surgery. It is a new instrument for Surgeons.

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