What Is the Purpose of Surgery?

Surgery, whether elective or required, is done for a multitude of reasons. A patient may have surgery to:

• Further explore the condition for the purpose of diagnosis
• Take a biopsy of a suspicious lump
• Remove diseased tissues or organs
• Remove an obstruction
• Reposition structures to their normal position
• Redirect channels
• Transplant tissue or whole organs
• Implant mechanical or electronic devices
• Improve physical appearance

Depending on the diagnosis, a patient has several surgery options:

Optional or elective surgery
A procedure you choose to have, which may not necessarily be essential to continue a good quality of life. An example would be to have an unsightly mole or wart removed.

Required surgery
A procedure which needs to be done to ensure quality of life in the future. An example would be having kidney stones removed if other forms of medication and treatments are not working. Required surgery, unlike emergency surgery, does not necessarily have to be done immediately.

Urgent or emergency surgery
This type of surgery is done in reaction to an urgent medical condition, such as acute appendicitis.