Also called: Also called: Operation
Every year more than 15 million people in the U.S. have surgery. There are many reasons to have surgery. Some operations can relieve or prevent pain. Others can reduce a symptom of a problem or improve some body function. Some surgeries are done to find a problem. For example, a surgeon may do a biopsy, which involves removing a piece of tissue to examine under a microscope. Some surgeries, like heart surgery, can save your life.
In recent years there have been many advances in surgery. Not long ago, all surgeries involved cutting with a scalpel. Today, some surgeries are done with lasers. Some operations that once needed large incisions - cuts in the body - can now be done using much smaller incisions.
Any surgery carries the risk of complications, including infection, too much bleeding, reaction to anesthesia, or accidental injury. There is almost always some pain with surgery.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Considering Surgery?
(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/surgery.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/Spanish/surgery-sp.htm -
Having Surgery? What You Need to Know(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) - http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/surgery/surgery.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/spsurgery/spsurgery.htm
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Preparing for Surgery
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/preparingforsurgery/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/preparingforsurgeryspanish/htm/index.htm
- Guide to Surgical Specialists(American College of Surgeons) - http://www.facs.org/public_info/yourhealth/guide.html
- Looking for a Qualified Surgeon? Here's How(American College of Surgeons) - http://www.facs.org/public_info/yourhealth/findadoc.html
- Surgery(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec25/ch301/ch301a.html
- Sponge Count Often Off After Surgery(09/30/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69856.html
- Seniors in Poor Areas More Likely to Die After Surgery(09/29/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69835.html
- Cholesterol Drugs May Raise Post-Op Delirium Risk(09/22/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69572.html
- More News on Surgery http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_s.html#surgery
- Biopsy(InteliHealth) - http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/9339/23952.html
- Guided Imagery: Its Use in Heart Surgery and Other Procedures(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/prevention/stress/guided_imagery.aspx
- Ambulatory Surgery: Frequently Asked Questions(Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia) - http://www.sambahq.org/patient-info/faqs.html
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Cryotherapy(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=cryo
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=cryo
- Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Procedures(Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons) - http://www.sls.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3411
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Neurosurgery - What Is It?
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/whatisneurosurgery/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/whatisneurosurgeryspanish/htm/index.htm - Radiosurgery: Operating on the Brain without a Scalpel(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/gamma-knife-radiosurgery/HQ00736/METHOD=print
- Understanding Laser Surgery(American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZHXQJK3XC&sub_cat=2022
- What Are Interventional Radiologists?(Society of Interventional Radiology) - http://www.sirweb.org/patients/
- What Is Correct-Site Surgery?(American College of Surgeons) - Links to PDF - http://www.facs.org/public_info/correctsitebrochure.pdf
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Anesthesia for Ambulatory Surgery(American Society of Anesthesiologists) - Links to PDF - http://www.asahq.org/patientEducation/ambulatoryAnes.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.asahq.org/patientEducation/AmbulatoryBrochure2008Spanish.pdf
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Be Smoke Free for Surgery(American Society of Anesthesiologists) - Links to PDF - http://www.asahq.org/PatientBrochure_%20For%20Posting.pdf
- Caring for Sutures (Stitches)(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/surgery/hic_caring_for_sutures.aspx
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Getting a Second Opinion Before Surgery: Your Choices and Medicare Coverage(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/02173.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/02173_s.pdf
- Giving Your Informed Consent(American College of Surgeons) - http://www.facs.org/public_info/operation/consent.html
- Herbal Supplements: How They Can Interfere with Surgery(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/herbal-supplements/SA00040/METHOD=print
- How to Use an Incentive Spirometer After Surgery(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/surgery/hic_how_to_use_an_incentive_spirometer.aspx
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Incision Care(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/firstaid/after-injury/095.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/firstaid/after-injury/095.printerview.html
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JAMA Patient Page: Preparing for Surgery: Evaluation of Lung Function(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/297/19/2158.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/297/19/2158/DC1/1
- Pain After Surgery: How Pain Medications and Anesthesia Can Help(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/pain-medications/PN00060/METHOD=print
- Questions to Ask Your Anesthesiologist Before Surgery(American Society of Anesthesiologists) - http://www.asahq.org/patientEducation/surgeryquestions.htm
- Should You Seek Consultation (Second Opinion)?(American College of Surgeons) - http://www.facs.org/public_info/operation/consult.html
- Surgeon Certification Status: Frequently Asked Questions(American Board of Surgery) - http://home.absurgery.org/default.jsp?faq_public
- Surgery and Insomnia(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/surgery/hic_surgery_and_insomnia.aspx
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Ventilator/Ventilator Support
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/vent/vent_what.html
- What to Ask before Surgery(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) - http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/cc/cc011608.htm
- About Joint Arthroscopy(Arthritis Foundation) - Requires media player - http://ww2.arthritis.org/conditions/surgerycenter/surgerycenterflash/arthroscopy.html
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Neurosurgery - What Is It?(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/whatisneurosurgery/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/whatisneurosurgeryspanish/htm/index.htm
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Preparing for Surgery(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/preparingforsurgery/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/preparingforsurgeryspanish/htm/index.htm
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MedlinePlus: Surgery Videos
- Webcasts of surgical procedures - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/surgeryvideos.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/surgeryvideos.html - Stop Smoking Before Surgery(American Society of Anesthesiologists) - Requires media player - http://www.asahq.org/patientEducation/vnr8.htm
- What Will Your Operation Cost?(American College of Surgeons) - http://www.facs.org/public_info/operation/what.html
- Article: Scottish audit shows wide variation in use of day surgery. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18779217&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: When guidelines need guidance... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18724958&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Change in use of allogeneic red blood cell transfusions among... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18722940&tool=MedlinePlus
- Surgery -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(surgical+procedures,operative[majr:noexp]+OR+ambulatory+surgical+procedures[majr]+OR+surgical+procedures,minor[majr]+OR+surgical+procedures,elective[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Laser Surgery -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=laser+surgery[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Postoperative Pain -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=pain,postoperative[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- American College of Surgeons Membership Directory(American College of Surgeons) - http://web3.facs.org/acsdir/default.cfm
- Find an Interventional Radiologist(Society of Interventional Radiology) - http://members.sirweb.org/eseries/scriptcontent/index_members_search.cfm?section=customer
- Find an Orthopaedist(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://www6.aaos.org/about/public/members.cfm
- Search for a Pediatric Surgeon(American Pediatric Surgical Association) - http://www.eapsa.org/parents/surgeon_search1.cfm
- Search for Accredited Ambulatory Health Care Organizations(Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care) - http://www.aaahc.org/eweb/dynamicpage.aspx?site=aaahc_site&webcode=find_orgs
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - http://www.aaos.org/
- American College of Surgeons - http://www.facs.org/
- American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons - http://www.fascrs.org/
- Society of Interventional Radiology - http://www.sirweb.org/
- FASTATS: Inpatient Procedures(National Center for Health Statistics) - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/insurg.htm
- Methods of Surgery(Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) - http://www.chop.edu/consumer/your_child/condition_section_index.jsp?id=-9002
- My Trip to the Hospital Coloring Book(American Society of Anesthesiologists) - Large PDF file - http://www.asahq.org/patientEducation/MyTrip.pdf
- Postoperative Care(Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) - http://www.chop.edu/consumer/your_child/condition_section_index.jsp?id=-9023
- Preparing for Your Child's Surgery and Anesthesia: A Parent's Role(American Association of Nurse Anesthetists) - http://www.aana.com/ForPatients.aspx?ucNavMenu_TSMenuTargetID=68&ucNavMenu_TSMenuTargetType=4&ucNavMenu_TSMenuID=6&id=325
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Preparing Your Child for Surgery(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/surgery/hosp_surgery.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/medicos/hosp_surgery_esp.html
- Surgery and the Breastfeeding Infant(Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) - http://www.chop.edu/consumer/your_child/condition_section_index.jsp?id=-9017
- Types of Surgery(Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) - http://www.chop.edu/consumer/your_child/condition_section_index.jsp?id=-9001
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What Happens in the Operating Room?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/feel_better/places/or.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/sano/or_esp.html
- What Is a Pediatric Surgeon?(American College of Surgeons) - Links to PDF - http://www.facs.org/public_info/yourhealth/pedsurg.pdf
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What's It Like to Have Surgery?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/question/health_basics/having_sugery.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/cuerpo/having_surgery_esp.html
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Considering Surgery?
(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/surgery.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/Spanish/surgery-sp.htm - Hospitalization(AGS Foundation for Health in Aging) - http://www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/chapters_ch_trial.asp?ch=12
- Anesthesia - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/anesthesia.html
- Heart Surgery - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/heartsurgery.html
- Organ Transplantation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/organtransplantation.html
- Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/plasticandcosmeticsurgery.html
- Surgery and Rehabilitation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/surgeryandrehabilitation.html
Surgery - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/surgery.html