Surgical Care

Surgery, as defined by the American Medical Association, is the treatment of disease, injury, or other disorders by direct physical intervention, usually with instruments. Surgery involves the cutting into the skin or other organ to accomplish any of the following goals:

further explore the condition for the purpose of diagnosis
take a biopsy of a suspicious lump
remove diseased tissues or organs
remove an obstruction
reposition structures to their normal position
redirect channels
transplant tissue or whole organs
implant mechanical or electronic devices
improve physical appearance

Many Americans face surgery every year, both elective and in cases of emergency.

When facing surgery, patients should expect to go through several phases:

Surgical Diagnosis: Surgical diagnosis is made after medical tests and evaluations reveal a condition requiring surgery.
Preoperative Management: The preoperative management phase begins from the time surgery is decided to the point when the patient is brought to the operating room.
Intraoperative Care: The intraoperative care phase lasts from the time the patient enters the operating room to when the patient goes to the recovery room.
Postoperative Management: The postoperative management phase lasts from entry to the recovery room through follow-up clinical evaluation.

This page was last updated on: November 8, 2007.

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