Appendectomy or appendix removal surgery is a procedure to remove your appendix. This is a gold-standard treatment for appendicitis, a painful inflammation of the appendix. 

What Happens During an Appendectomy? 

During the procedure, your surgeon will give you an anaesthesia and perform the surgery with any of the two methods: 

• Laparoscopic Appendectomy 

During this surgery, your surgeon will make a small incision on your abdomen and insert a port and cannula through it. This cannula will inflate your abdomen with carbon dioxide. Following this, the surgeon will remove the cannula and insert a laparoscope. A laparoscope is a thin tube fitted with a camera and tiny surgical instruments at one end. 

The surgeon will locate the appendix with the help of a camera and remove it with the instruments. 

• Open Appendectomy 

During this surgery, the surgeon will make one long incision on your abdomen, open the abdominal cavity, and separate your abdominal muscles to reveal the appendix beneath. If your appendix is infected, it may recess fluid in your abdominal cavity. Your surgeon will first drain this fluid and rinse your abdomen with a saline solution. 

Following this, your appendix will be tied off with stitches and removed from the intestine. Post this, the surgeon will close the incision. 

What Happens After an Appendectomy? 

After the surgery, you will be moved to a recovery area. If you had a laparoscopic procedure, you may go home on the same day. If you had an open procedure, you will likely be in the hospital for a few days. 

What Are the Risks Associated with an Appendectomy? 

Complications with appendectomy are rare. It may, however, cause: 

• Wound infection. 

• Bleeding. 

• Injury to surrounding organs. 

• Blocked bowels. 

Cholecystectomy or gall bladder removal is a surgical procedure to remove your gall bladder. The gall bladder is a small and hollow organ that stores bile for your digestive system. 

Why Do You Need a Cholecystectomy? 

You may need the surgery if you have gallbladder disease that is: 

• Interfering with your life. 

• Posing risk to your health. 

• Getting worse. 

What Happens During a Cholecystectomy? 

During a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, your surgeon will: 

• Make an incision on your abdomen. 

• Make 2-3 more incisions on your upper right abdomen called “keyhole” incisions. 

• Insert a small catheter into your small incision and pump carbon dioxide to inflate your stomach. 

• Insert the laparoscope from the larger incision. 

• Insert surgical tools through one of your incisions and remove the gall bladder. 

• Release the gas and close the incisions. 

During an open cholecystectomy, your surgeon will: 

• Make a long incision underneath your rib. 

• Use surgical tools to remove the gall bladder. 

• Drain excess fluid. 

• Close the incisions. 

What Happens After a Cholecystectomy? 

After the surgery, you will be moved to a recovery area. If you had a laparoscopic procedure, you may go home on the same day. If you had an open procedure, you will likely be in the hospital for a few days. 

What Are the Risks Associated with a Cholecystectomy? 

Cholecystectomy is a safe procedure, it may, however, cause: 

• Infection. 

• Blood clots. 

• Injury to surrounding organs. 

• Bile reflux. 

• Excessive bleeding. 

Surgery is one of the most common ways to get rid of a hernia. If you have a hernia, you may observe your organ pushing through the muscle or tissue holding it and visible underneath your skin.  

What Happens During a Hernia Repair? 

Depending on your condition and the location of hernia, your surgeon may perform an open or laparoscopic procedure.  

During the procedures, your surgeon will: 

• Give you an anaesthesia. 

• Make a small incision for laparoscopic surgery and a long incision for open. 

• Position the herniated tissue back in place and repair surrounding tissues. 

• Insert a surgical mesh to provide extra support and prevent hernia from recurring. 

• Close the incision. 

What Happens After a Hernia Repair? 

After the procedure, you will be moved to a recovery area. If you had a laparoscopic procedure, you may go home on the same day. If you had an open procedure, you will likely be in the hospital for a few days. 

What Are the Risks Associated with a Hernia Repair? 

Hernia repair is usually safe. It may, however, cause: 

• Infection. 

• Collection of fluid. 

• Collection of blood. 

• Injury to surrounding tissues. 

• Problems emptying your bladder. 

Colectomy or colon resection surgery is a surgical procedure to remove a part or all of your colon. 

Why Do You Need a Colectomy? 

You may need a colectomy if you have: 

• Colon cancer. 

• Precancerous colon. 

• Large bowel obstruction or inflammatory bowel disease. 

• Uncontrolled bleeding from the colon. 

What Happens During a Colectomy? 

Depending on your condition, your surgeon may perform the surgery with an open or laparoscopic approach. In general, during the surgery, your surgeon will: 

• Give you an anaesthesia. 

• Make one or more incisions on your abdomen. 

• Separate and remove the affected colon tissue. 

• Connect the healthy bowel with sutures or staples or create a stoma and redirect your bowel end to the stoma. 

• Close your incisions. 

What Happens After a Colectomy? 

After the procedure, you will be moved to a recovery area. If you had a laparoscopic procedure, you may go home on the same day. If you had an open procedure, you will likely be in the hospital for a few days. 

What Are the Risks Associated with a Colectomy? 

Colectomy is usually safe. It may, however, cause: 

• Infection. 

• Bleeding. 

• Injury to surrounding tissues. 

Small bowel surgery or bowel resection is a surgical procedure to remove diseased or damaged small bowel or small intestine. Depending on your condition, the surgeon may remove a small part or complete intestine. 

Why Do You Need a Small Bowel Surgery? 

You may need the surgery, if you have: 

1. Small intestine cancer. 

2. Congenital gastrointestinal disorder. 

3. Crohn’s disease. 

4. Small bowel obstruction. 

5. Trauma to the intestine. 

What Happens During a Small Bowel Surgery? 

Depending on your condition, your surgeon may perform the surgery with an open or laparoscopic approach. In general, during the surgery, your surgeon will: 

• Give you an anaesthesia. 

• Make one small incision in case of laparoscopic and one long incision for open surgery. 

• Access the affected section of your small intestine. 

• Put clamps on either side of the diseased tissue and remove it. 

• Repair the blood vessels and restore blood flow to your intestine. 

• Close the incision. 

What Happens After a Small Bowel Surgery? 

After the procedure, you will be moved to a recovery area. If you had a laparoscopic procedure, you may go home on the same day. If you had an open procedure, you will likely be in the hospital for a few days. 

What Are the Risks Associated with a Small Bowel Surgery? 

Small bowel surgery is safe. It may, however, cause: 

• Chronic anaemia. 

• Diarrhoea. 

• Damage to surrounding organs. 

• Hernia. 

• Small bowel obstruction. 

• Anastomotic leak. 

Splenectomy or spleen removal surgery is a surgical procedure to remove your spleen. The spleen is a small organ located in the upper left side of your abdomen. It is a part of the lymphatic system and produces white blood cells to fight infections. 

Why Do You Need a Splenectomy? 

You may need a splenectomy if you have: 

• Ruptured spleen. 

• Blood disorders. 

• Cancer. 

• Enlarged spleen. 

• Infection. 

What Happens During a Splenectomy? 

Depending on your condition, your surgeon may perform the surgery with an open or laparoscopic approach. 

In general, during the surgery, your surgeon will: 

• Give you an anaesthesia. 

• Make a small incision on your abdomen in case of laparoscopy and one big incision for open surgery. 

• Insert a catheter and inflate your stomach with carbon dioxide. 

• Make 3-4 smaller incisions called keyhole incisions. 

• Insert a laparoscope and tiny surgical instruments. 

• Remove your spleen. 

• Close the incision. 

What Happens After a Splenectomy? 

After the procedure, you will be moved to a recovery area. If you had a laparoscopic procedure, you may go home on the same day. If you had an open procedure, you will likely be in the hospital for a few days. 

What Are the Risks Associated with a Splenectomy? 

Splenectomy surgery is safe. It may, however, cause: 

• Bleeding. 

• Injury to the surrounding organs. 

• Infection. 

Liver resection or hepatectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a part of your liver. If your liver is diseased, your doctor may recommend removing two-thirds of your life. Since the liver can grow back, your remaining liver will grow back to its size. 

Why Do You Need a Liver Resection? 

You may need a liver resection, if you have: 

• Liver cancer. 
• Colorectal cancer. 
• Liver cysts. 

What Happens During a Liver Resection? 

The surgical technique will depend on how much of the liver has to be removed. In general, it will involve the following steps. 

Your surgeon will: 

• Give you an anaesthesia and nerve block. 

• Make one long incision on the abdomen in case of open surgery and smaller 3-6 incisions in case of laparoscopy. 

• Identify the diseased portion of the liver and remove it. 

• If your gallbladder is infected, it will also be removed. 

• Close the incisions. 

What Happens After a Liver Resection? 

After the procedure, you will be moved to an intensive care unit for 2-3 days. The surgical team will monitor your vitals and manage your pain. 

What Are the Risks Associated with a Liver Resection? 

Liver resection is safe. It may, however, cause: 

• Infection. 

• Bleeding. 

• Bile leakage. 

• Liver failure. 

• Deep vein thrombosis. 

Pancreatectomy or pancreas removal is a surgical procedure to remove part or all of your pancreas. The pancreas is a part of your digestive system which prepares enzymes required for digestion and hormones to maintain your blood sugar levels. 

Why Do You Need a Pancreatectomy? 

You may need a pancreatectomy, if you have: 

• Pancreatic cancer. 

• Pancreatic cysts. 

• Pancreatitis. 

• Metastatic kidney cancer. 

What Happens During a Pancreatectomy? 

The surgery will mostly be done with an open procedure as it gives ready access to many organs at once. During the surgery, your surgeon will make one long incision on your abdomen and remove the pancreas. 

What Happens After a Pancreatectomy? 

After the procedure, you will be moved to an intensive care unit for 2-3 days. The surgical team will monitor your vitals and manage your pain. 

What Are the Risks Associated with a Pancreatectomy? 

Pancreatectomy is safe. It may, however, cause: 

• Bleeding. 

• Infection. 

• Blood clots. 

• Delayed gastric emptying. 

• Dumping syndrome. 

Gastrectomy or stomach removal is a surgical procedure to remove all or part of your stomach. 

Why Do You Need a Gastrectomy? 

You may need a gastrectomy, if you have: 

• Stomach cancer. 

• Severe gastritis. 

• Severe peptic ulcer disease. 

• Obesity. 

• Injury to the stomach. 

What Happens During a Gastrectomy? 

Depending on your condition and the area of your stomach to be removed, your surgery may be done via open approach or laparoscopically. In general, during the surgery, your surgeon will: 

• Give you an anaesthesia. 

• Insert a catheter to drain your urine and stomach contents. 

• Make a large incision in case of open and smaller 3-4 incisions in laparoscopic surgery. 

• Remove the cancer and surrounding lymph nodes in case of cancer. 

• Re-attach the remaining organs to your digestive system. 

• Close the incision. 

What Happens After a Gastrectomy? 

After the procedure, you will be moved to an intensive care unit for 2-3 days. The surgical team will monitor your vitals and manage your pain. 

What Are the Risks Associated with a Gastrectomy? 

Gastrectomy is safe. It may, however, cause: 

• Bile reflux. 

• Infection. 

• Bleeding. 

• Blood clots. 

• Dumping syndrome. 

• Internal hernia. 

• Gastroparesis.