General Surgery
General surgery, despite the term “General”, is a specialty or discipline that handles diseases and surgical procedures that involves but not limited to the gastrointestinal tract, liver, gallbladder, thyroid gland, skin, soft tissue, breast and trauma. It is a field that requires the surgeon to possess the knowledge, skill in complex decision making and responsibility in order to handle pre-operative, intra- operative, post-operative management, including those which may require conservative management, elective or emergency operations.
General surgery is always at the forefront of development thanks to modern sophisticated surgical instruments and advanced technology to benefit surgical patients. Procedures such as traditional abdominal surgery are largely replaced by minimal invasive surgery or laparoscopic surgery. Many of these newer procedures aim to reduce pain, accelerate recovery and reduce cost without compromising the outcome.
In our centre, we offer a wide range of surgical procedures to cover many of the common conditions encountered in general surgery such as thyroid diseases, hemorrhoid, breast conditions and skin lesions etc. If you have any further queries, do not hesitate to contact us for further information.
Thyroid disease
The thyroid gland is a butterfly- shaped gland at the front of your neck and it secretes hormones to control the body’s metabolic rate. Thyroid disease is very common in Hong Kong, especially thyroid nodules and Grave’s disease. It affects patients of all ages and is more common in females. Thyroid nodules are typically investigated with thyroid function test, ultrasound, and fine needle aspiration cytology. It is imperative to distinguish whether these nodules are benign or malignant, and whether surgery is required. Thyroidectomy is performed by surgeons to treat thyroid disorders including thyroid cancer, thyroid nodules and Grave’s disease and how much of the thyroid gland is removed depends on the reason for surgery.
Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids swollen blood vessels around the anus and lower rectum and are extremely common in the population. They can be classified into internal hemorrhoids which lie inside the rectum and external hemorrhoids that are under the skin around the anus and can be felt. Common symptoms include bleeding, pain and itchiness etc. Individuals who have chronic constipation, diet low in fibre, strain during bowel movements and obesity are particularly at risk. Intervention should be considered when these symptoms begin to affect daily life. The most common treatments used include rubber band ligation, open hemorrhoidectomy and stapled hemorrhoidopexy.
Skin lesions
There are many causes for skin and subcutaneous lumps, ranging from lipomas and sebaceous cysts to skin cancers. They can arise from anywhere of the body with various sizes. These lesions tend to remain unless properly treated and may enlarge in size over time. It is often difficult to determine whether they are benign or malignant based on appearance alone and surgical removal is an option to exclude malignancy and eradicate the lesion in one go. Most of these lesions can be removed under local anesthesia but some may require more comprehensive planning when malignancy is suspected or tissue involvement becomes more extensive.
Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are abnormally dilated superficial veins that are most commonly found at the lower limbs. Many patients have no obvious symptoms at the early stages, but if left untreated, complications such as ulcers, bleeding or pulmonary embolism may arise.
There are numerous treatment options for varicose veins. The more conservative approach such as compression stockings can only provide temporary symptomatic relief. Patients may consider a more definitive approach such as the Trendelenburg operation or endovenous ablation of varicose veins. Endovenous ablation is associated with smaller surgical wounds and minimal pain, as well as shorter recovery. However, not all patients are suitable for endovenous ablation. If you have any queries, please consult your surgeon for more details.
Breast Lump and Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the third most lethal cancer for females in Hong Kong. Patients may notice a lump in their breasts, abnormal nipple discharge, or abnormal skin changes. However, a portion of patients remain asymptomatic, therefore regular breast examination is essential. Common risks factors for breast cancer include old age, smoking, drinking, obesity, previous radiation and family history of breast cancer.
When patients discover a lump in their breast or other symptoms, a mammogram and breast ultrasound is performed to look for abnormal features. A needle biopsy may be required to obtain tissue for laboratory tests to determine the nature of the abnormality.
Circumcision
Foreskin refers to the skin covering the glans (tip) of the penis. Circumcision is the surgical removal of the skin covering the tip of the penis and is performed when the foreskin is too long or too tight, leading to inflammation, difficulty in urination, or even affecting sexual function. Some men may also undergo circumcision as required by their religion. Circumcision is also known to have other benefits such as a lower risk of sexually transmitted diseases and penile cancer.
The procedure is most commonly performed under general anesthesia and the surgery is usually completed within an hour. The patient will be required to stay in the hospital overnight for observation and can be discharged the next day.