All surgeries have both benefits and risks. Make the best choice for you by learning about each, tips for preparation, and what to expect in recovery.
Major or minor, all surgeries have both benefits and risks. Make the best choice for you by learning about each, tips for preparation, and what to expect in recovery.
surgeons working on a patient
Purpose of Vascular Surgery
Medically reviewed by Yasmine S. Ali, MD, MSCI
doctor holding a model of the prostate gland
What Is the Purpose of Prostate Surgery?
By Rachael Zimlich, BSN, RN
doctor and patient
Ablation Surgery: Recovery
Medically reviewed by Jeffrey S. Lander, MD
prepping for heart bypass surgery
Heart Bypass Surgery Overview
Medically reviewed by Jeffrey S. Lander, MD
preparing for colonoscopy
Colonoscopy: Long-Term Care
Medically reviewed by Priyanka Chugh, MD
Balloon angioplasty procedure
What You Should Know About Balloon Angiography
Medically reviewed by Jennifer Schwartz, MD
Ketamine In Anesthesia Induction
Ketamine Is an Anesthetic Medication for Surgery
Medically reviewed by Jennifer Schwartz, MD
Stylish transgender man in modern living room
What Is Transgender Top Surgery?
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Woman with no shirt on looking down at herself
Body Asymmetry: Why Is One Hand or Breast Bigger?
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Conjoined twins are rare
Overview of Conjoined Twin Separation Surgery
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Human blood for transfusion in Boston
What Is the Universal Recipient Blood Type?
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Surgeon tying his mask
What You Should Know About Medical Tourism
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Home healthcare nurse tending to picc line of recovering patient
How PICC Lines Allow Fluids and Medications to Get Into the Bloodstream
Medically reviewed by Jennifer Schwartz, MD
Man going under anesthesia
Know the Risks of General Anesthesia Before Surgery
Medically reviewed by Lissette Pichardo, MD
Doctor examining pregnant patient's belly
How to Know If Your Body Parts Are Anterior or Posterior
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Organ Weight
How Much Do Your Organs Weigh?
Medically reviewed by Michael Menna, DO
Multi-ethnic doctors operating girl at hospital
Dying During Surgery: The Risk of Death During Any Procedure
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Female doctor examining newborn baby in incubator
There Is No Way to Prevent This Kind of Hernia
Medically reviewed by Brian Levine, MD
Anesthesia Provider
Local Anesthesia for Surgical Procedures
Medically reviewed by Jenny A. Dhingra, MD
Making a snowball, chamonix, france
Necrosis: What You Should Know
Medically reviewed by Jason DelCollo, DO
surgeons operating using laparoscopic instruments
What to Expect From Minimally-Invasive Laparoscopic Surgery
Medically reviewed by Jennifer Schwartz, MD
A doctor checking a patients spleen
Learn About the Function of the Spleen and Why You Can Live Without It
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Operating room staff performing hospital surgery
Maxillofacial Surgery Made Easy to Understand
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
What Is Magnetic Resonance Enterography?
Medically reviewed by Jennifer Schwartz, MD
Robot-assisted hysterectomy
The Types of Prolapses and Surgical Treatment
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Surgeons performing surgery in operating room
Understanding Medical Trauma and How It's Treated
Medically reviewed by Michael Menna, DO
Woman checking blood sugar
The Difference Between Acute and Chronic Illnesses
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Surgeons performing surgery in operating room.
What to Expect From an Escarotomy
Medically reviewed by Jennifer Schwartz, MD
A doctor adjusting light in operating room
Why a Resection Surgery May Be Necessary
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
kidneys
How the Word Bilateral Is Used in Medicine
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Operating nurse soothing patient on table in operating room
What You Should Know About Conscious Sedation
Medically reviewed by Jenny A. Dhingra, MD
Team of nurses and surgeons in surgery
What Kinds of Conditions Can a General Surgeon Operate On?
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Close up of doctor wearing surgical gloves, holding oxygen mask over patient in operating theater
Paralytics Are Medication Given During Surgery and General Anesthesia
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Surgeons performing cardiothoracic surgery
Types of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Handing doctor surgical tool in operating room.
Vascular Surgery for Treating Blood Vessels Throughout the Body
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Surgeons performing surgery in operating room
The Difference Between Open and Minimally Invasive Surgery
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
nurse writing on clipboard and man in hospital bed in the background
Bacteremia Can Lead to Sepsis or Septic Shock
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Team of doctors performing surgery in operating theater
What You Should Know: Prophylaxis and Prophylactic Health Treatments
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
patient resting after surgery with doctor writing on a chart
Find out What the Perioperative Phases of Surgery Are
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
closeup of a young caucasian doctor man sitting at his office desk observing a chest radiograph in a tablet computer
Pulmonary: The Medical Definition
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Nurse putting oxygen mask to patient during surgery
What Does Preoperative Mean?
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Surgeons performing surgery in operating room
Types of Ablations Procedures and Techniques
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
patient in hospital bed speaking with two surgeons
Inpatient Surgery vs. Outpatient Surgery
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Surgeons operating on patient
The Use of in Situ in Surgery and Cancer Treatments
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Human ligaments, illustration
Cervical: Understanding the Multiple Meanings of the Term
Medically reviewed by Rony Kampalath, MD
Surgeon Beginning Procedure With Scalpel In Hand, Close-up
How and Why Excisions Are Performed During a Surgery
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Gastric bypass, illustration
Anastomosis Definition and Examples
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Surgeons performing gastric bypass surgery
Bariatric Surgery for Weight Loss
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
What Is Intubation and Why Is It Done?
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Doctor Examining Patient's Throat
Types of Strictures and Their Causes
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
liver biopsy supporting with Ultrasound
Understanding Why a Biopsy Is Performed
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
transparent urine plastic bag and pee catheter hang under patient bed in hospital
Foley and Other Catheters: When and Why You May Need One
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Woman getting ready for an MRI
What You Should Know About MRI
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Concentrating surgeons performing operation in operating room
Ambulatory Surgery: How Same Day Surgery Is Different
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
'Boy lying in hospital bed, coloring'
Parents! Prepare Your Child for Surgery With Free Coloring Books
Fact checked by Sheeren Jegtvig
Mature surgeon using scalpel during surgery
Surgical Incisions: Types and Care After Surgery
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
surgical team in operating room
The Role and Responsibilities of a Surgical Scrub Technician
Fact checked by James Lacy
Epidural anesthesia
Is Regional or General Anesthesia Better During Surgery?
Medically reviewed by Jenny A. Dhingra, MD
Doctor and nurse talking with patient in hospital bed
Overview of the Foley Catheter and Surgery
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD
Orthopedic surgeon operating on a foot
How Many Surgeries Should Your Surgeon Have Done Before Yours?
Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD