What is a General Surgeon ?
There are ten recognised surgical specialities in Jaipur, of which, general surgery is one. As the name suggests, General Surgeons treat a wide variety of conditions and unlike some other specialties work with the patient before, during and after their surgery. They are especially involved in conditions relating to organs in the abdomen such as liver, stomach, rectum, small and large intestine, spleen, appendix, pancreas and bile ducts. However, they also deliver the surgical treatment of:
● Endocrine system
● Soft tissue, skin and breast

● Alimentary tract (oesophagus and related organs)
● Vascular surgery
● Trauma and burns
● Head and neck surgery
● Paediatric surgery
● Surgical critical care
● Surgical oncology
Common Procedures
General Surgeons often treat conditions such as appendicitis, hernia repairs, gallbladder surgeries, stomach and intestinal issues2. They are also often highly experienced in keyhole surgery (formally known as laparoscopic or minimally invasive surgery), a preferred method where possible as it increases recovery time and minimises scarring for the patients.
Subspecialties
In Jaipur, many elective procedures carried out by General Surgeons, about 80%, fall into these common procedures. However, most General Surgeons go on to develop a subspeciality. These subspecialities commonly include:
● Breast surgery – assessment, breast cancer surgery and breast reconstruction (where a plastic surgeon is not required)
● Lower gastrointestinal surgery – relating to colorectal surgery as well as surgery of the small intestine
● Upper gastrointestinal – relating to the liver, oesophagus and stomach
● Endocrine surgery – relating to the thyroids, parathyroid and adrenal glands
● Transplant surgery – commonly relating to kidney and liver transplants (but also including other transplants)
● Trauma (this is more common within the military)
Where do General Surgeons Work?
General Surgeons are a key role in A&E and are in high demand in rural areas due to their broad knowledge base.