How do we choose the right surgeon?

Surgeon and surgery.

Surgery is the branch of Medicine that deals with operations on organs of the human body using special tools. The purpose of surgery is to repair or remove abnormal tissues or organs and restore the normal functioning of the body. A surgeon is a medical specialist who performs surgery. Depending on the part of the body that is specialized, the surgeon carries the corresponding title, e.g. The neurosurgeon deals with the brain and the spine, the cardiac surgeon with the heart, etc.

The general surgeon has as his main object the organs of the abdominal region (intestine, stomach, bile, liver, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, adrenal glands, uterus, ovaries), the thyroid and parathyroids, the breast, hernias, varicose veins of the lower extremities, skin lumps, moles and others.

As can be seen from the above, the general surgeon has the richest range of operations, for this reason subspecialties have now been created such as the bowel surgeon (small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus), the obesity surgeon, the liver biliary pancreas surgeon, the transplant surgeon, the breast surgeon, the endocrine surgeon, etc.

All of the above fall under general surgery which is the foundation for the rest of the surgical specialties.

How do we choose the right surgeon?

Choosing the right surgeon is probably the biggest problem for the patient. There are plenty of surgeons and plenty of information from the Internet and mass media, but it is not always accurate. Some practical tips for choosing your doctor, what should you look for in a proper and good surgeon?

First of all, you should know that the promotion of doctors on television, radio and magazines is paid for. That is, the doctor pays to advertise his work and attract patients and is not selected by the channel or magazine on merit. Consequently, it does not mean that a doctor who appears regularly on the channels is better than another who avoids his exposure, because no selection is made based on his abilities. Rarely will a doctor be called upon to speak on a topical issue without commercial expediency. So beware of doctors who focus mainly on their advertising through the media and less on global and objective scientific information to the public.

Patience and understanding: Even the simplest operation creates anxiety and fear in the patient, the doctor should be able to explain to you, solve your questions and inspire you with confidence. A second opinion for simple ailments but even more so for complex cases is legitimate, and don't hesitate to dig deeper into your problem if in doubt. All doctors, even the most experienced and thorough, can make mistakes (after all, mistakes are human). Your doctor should not begrudge you asking for a second opinion but help you choose the right one.

Specialization: Modern medicine internationally, due to the rapid developments, has imposed the specialization of surgeons. Even simple operations such as hemorrhoids when performed by less experienced surgeons can create problems. The fashion of the doctor who does everything is over. So you are looking for specialist surgeons who deal with specific problems and not just anything.

Documentation: The doctor should be able to show his work when asked (eg photos of procedures) and not be only theoretical. Surgeons who are vague, disinclined to answer the patient's questions about their problem may not have that experience. Media exposure and headlines unfortunately do not guarantee a doctor's abilities.

Information: Especially for surgeons, they should adequately inform the patient both about the operation and its possible complications, as well as about the postoperative period. There is no operation anywhere in the world that cannot have even a minor complication. Therefore, when you hear exaggerated phrases like "100% success", "0% complications", "completely painless", "completely bloodless" etc. Be cautious. Also ask for a description or name of the procedure the surgeon will perform on you so you can compare with another procedure or get a second opinion.

Colon and rectal surgeon.

Intestinal surgeon is the surgeon who deals with diseases of the small intestine, large intestine and rectum, these can be inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, polyposis, cancers, etc. We often confuse him with the gastroenterologist, but although the surgeon can perform gastroscopy, colonoscopy and even ERCP if he is trained, his role is the surgical treatment of his diseases gastrointestinal. The pathological, diagnostic and endoscopic part of the gastrointestinal tract mainly belongs to gastroenterologists.

Rectal surgeon or proctologist.

An anal surgeon or proctologist is the surgeon who deals with diseases of the anus area, whether they concern the skin around the anus or the anal canal (bowel entrance, sphincter, ring). These conditions are hemorrhoids, anal fissures, fistulas, abscesses, incontinence, prolapse, dermatitis, warts, itching, etc.

The colorectal surgeon must know very well the surgical techniques for diseases of the intestine (small intestine, large intestine, rectum) and the anus, whether they are simple or complex. Someone who only does hemorrhoids or fistulas is not considered a bowel surgeon, he is simply a general surgeon. The intestinal surgeon must know operations for all intestinal diseases, to operate on difficult cases such as rectal cancer or sphincter diseases in order to offer options and solutions to his patient. He also has the experience to deal with the complications that may arise and which the general surgeon will hardly deal with.