General Surgery

People turn to general surgeons every day for a variety of medical conditions. From repairing hernias and removing gallstones to setting broken arms and removing cancerous cells, general surgeons can help you with all manner of problems.

Areas of General Surgeon Expertise

Today, much of medicine is specialized. Oncologists provide cancer care, nephrologists care for kidneys and orthopedic surgeons take care of your bones and joints. General surgeons, however, don’t focus on a single disease or part of the body. They are trained to perform surgery on body parts from head to foot. And they do this whether you're in relatively good health or are critically ill.

Each day, general surgeons can be found operating on the:

• Abdomen, chest and pelvis
• Head and neck
• Musculoskeletal system
• Skin and soft tissues
• Vascular and endocrine systems

Depending on the surgery being performed, general surgeons may use open or minimally invasive surgical techniques. Minimally invasive procedures are performed with small surgical tools and computer equipment that allows the surgeon to better see the area being operated on. As a result, you often experience a faster recovery and fewer complications. 

Surgeries a General Surgeon Performs

With such a wide spectrum of expertise, general surgeons offer a variety of surgical services. Some of the surgeries a general surgeon performs include: 

• Appendectomy — Removal of the appendix becomes necessary if your appendix is infected or swollen.
• Bariatric surgery — Also known as weight-loss surgery, bariatric surgery may be the right solution if you need to lose a large amount of weight. 
• Colorectal surgery — The surgeon repairs or removes damaged and diseased portions of the colon and rectum due to inflammatory bowel disease, cancer and other conditions.
• Gallbladder surgery — If you have frequent gallstones, removal of the gallbladder may be necessary.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) — For those with severe acide reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), surgeons place a tiny ring of magnetic beads around the area where the stomach meets the esophagus. This allows food and liquid to pass but prevents stomach acid from going the other way, effectively stopping bouts of reflux.
• Gastrointestinal/digestive surgeries — MultiCare general surgeons perform surgery on all parts of the gastrointestinal (GI) and digestive tract. This includes the stomach, pancreas and liver.
• Hernia repair surgery — To help you overcome a hernia, the surgeon pushes the bulging organ or tissue back into place and repairs the tear in the abdominal muscle where the bulge occurred. This is available for all hernias, whether located in the groin, near the belly button or elsewhere. Complex hernias are being performed minimally invasively with robotic approach.