The 10 types of surgeons (and the operations they perform)

Modern society is sustained, in large part, thanks to the action of health personnel. We take for granted that having good health and care in times of illness is a right but, unfortunately, not all people have the means to “be well” at a physiological level. According to recent reports published by the World Health Organization (WHO), there are about 28 million healthcare professionals worldwide, but almost 6 million more are still missing to serve the entire population.

It is as interesting as it is disheartening to know that, for example, more than 80% of the world's health professionals are confined to countries and regions that, as a group, are home to only half the population. To give you an idea, in a country like Germany there are 4.3 doctors for every 1,000 inhabitants, while in Haiti, for the same population, there are 0.2 professionals.

With these figures, it is more than clear that more health personnel (doctors, nurses, surgeons and other specialists) are needed, especially in vulnerable low-income regions. Either because you are simply interested in the subject or if you are a graduate interested in specializing, today we tell you the 10 types of surgeons that exist, what are its main functions and what variants are most in demand in the labor market. Do not miss it.

What is a surgeon and how are they classified?

A surgeon is any doctor who is capable of preventing, diagnosing and curing diseases by exercising the use of surgery.. During an intervention in the operating room, the surgeon performs a mechanical manipulation of the anatomical structures of the patient with a medical purpose, be it diagnostic (such as a biopsy), therapeutic or prognostic.

It should be noted that most surgeons are included in the discipline of "major surgery", which requires the incision, manipulation and suturing of a specific tissue, always during a stay in the operating room. To do this, the patient must be in deep sedation (regional / general anesthesia), in order to avoid pain and traumatic experiences.

Those professionals who perform procedures in the outpatient clinic under local anesthesia (or without it) are also essential for the well-being of the population, but they do not have to be considered ordinary surgeons. Based on these premises, we present the 10 types of surgeons, focusing mainly on major surgery practices. Do not miss it.

1. General surgeon

General surgery includes most procedures performed "open body", especially those limited to the abdominal context, which involve the esophagus, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix and bile ducts, among others. In addition, a general surgeon also deals with pathologies in the breast area, skin problems and bodily injuries that must be stitched up.

In other words, the general surgeon is one who performs all common procedures in the surgical fieldFrom closing a deep wound to removing a section of the intestine. Due to its range of action, this health professional must have a detailed knowledge of the entire body anatomy of the patient and know how to respond effectively to potentially lethal incidents. In many regions, a general surgeon must graduate as a physician and spend 5 years in residency.

2. Cardiothoracic surgeon

Just as the abdominal surgeon specializes in intestines and adjoining organs, the cardiothoracic confines its range of action to the heart, lungs and other pleural structures. In most countries, this modality is divided into cardiac surgery (only of the heart) and thoracic surgery, the exception being the United States, Australia, New Zealand and some EU countries.

Cardiothoracic surgeons deal with patients who are a true "time bomb", due to the critical condition that many of them present in relation to the cardiovascular system. Due to the difficulty of the procedures, a cardiothoracic surgeon will have to go through a period of hospitalization of 4 to 6 years. Despite the exquisite precision and preparation of these professionals, approximately 2% of patients undergoing major cardiac surgery die in the hospital environment.

3. Craniofacial surgeon

Craniofacial surgeons are responsible for correct, to the extent possible, congenital and acquired deformities of the head, neck, face, skull, jaws and associated structures. Although these professionals often treat bones, they are not surgical procedures linked to a single tissue, since cartilage, skin, nerves, oral mucosa and many other histological variants are also modified.

4. Neurological surgeon (neurosurgeon)

Neurosurgeons have as their main task address central nervous system (CNS), peripheral and autonomic problems, including associated structures that provide support or irrigation. In countries like the United States, beyond the medical degree, 7 years of residency are required, which also give the professional scientific and clinical approaches in the field of neurobiology (beyond the framework of action).

5. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon

Oral and maxillofacial surgery, unlike craniofacial, is responsible for reconstruction of the face after a serious injury or especially aggressive surgery (such as removing a tumor with the entire metastatic area).

In addition to this, some maxillofacial surgeons specialize in cosmetic procedures, such as blepharoplasty (correction of excess skin on the eyelids), rhinoplasty (reshaping the nose), lifts, lip corrections and many other things. Due to the increasing demand for cosmetic corrections, maxillofacial surgery is on an unprecedented boom.

6. Pediatric surgeon

The pediatric surgeon is in charge of performing operations under anesthesia in fetuses, newborns, children, prepubertal and young adults. Within this large category, there are two specialties: fetal and neonatal surgery. As you can imagine, treating a fetal abnormality in the maternal environment has nothing to do with the removal of bone chips in a young child after a fall.

7. Ophthalmic surgeon

Ophthalmological surgeons take care of surgically correct problems in the eye environment. Some procedures (such as LASIK) are minimally invasive and are aimed at correcting refractory errors, while others include enucleation and evisceration of the entire eyeball, that is, the complete removal of the eye. The surgical approach to corneal problems and ocular oncology require a specialization of 1 or 2 years on the part of the professional.

8. Transplant surgeon

Transplants are one of the greatest milestones in modern medicine, but they do not arrive without associated risks. Many of them have an expiration date, which means that they do not last until the patient's life comes to an end. For example, the half-life of each kidney transplant is 19.3 years, while the figure for heart transplantation is about 12 years.

Many things can go wrong during transplantation (bleeding, infection) or after it (maladaptation, autoimmune response, etc.). Therefore, it is necessary to have a team specialized in the medical art of integrating foreign tissues within a sick patient.

9. Orthopedic surgeon

Orthopedic surgeons are those who they tackle problems at the musculoskeletal level, that is to say, of the locomotor system. They are usually part of the last stage of treatment, when rest, anti-inflammatories, joint injections and immobilizers do not work in the event of a bone, joint or muscle disorder.

10. Gynecological surgeon

This group includes obstetric surgeons and oncologists, who treat difficult labor and malignant neoplasms in the female reproductive organs, respectively. From performing a cesarean section in a complex delivery to treating cervical cancer (CUC), these specialists take care of everything related to the female reproductive system. To move in these disciplines, a surgeon must complete 4 years as a doctor, 4 years of specialization in gynecology and, depending on the discipline, 2 to 4 years more.

Resume

As you may have seen, being a surgeon is not an easy thing, neither in the student field nor in the workplace. All these professionals work with open tissues and injuries of greater or lesser severity, where a wrong step could result in the loss of a life. This involves inherent responsibility and stress that not everyone can bear and, therefore, the position as a surgeon is one of the best paid in the public sector (more than 3,000 euros per month).

If you are interested in this medical specialty, arm yourself with patience, as it takes 4 to 6 years to obtain a medical degree (depending on the country), 4 to 7 years as an intern and up to 2 additional years depending on the branch and specialization chosen. Surgeons have a huge weight on their hands and, therefore, when it comes to saving lives, all instruction is little.