Classification of Veterinary Surgery
Surgery can be classified according to-
- Nature of surgery
- Region or system involved
- Instruments and appliances used
According to the Nature of Surgery:
- General surgery is carried to restore the normal functions of the body or a part without substituting or discarding any part of the body E.g. Rumenotomy.
- Plastic surgery is done on aesthetic grounds or to restore disturbed function and includes reconstructive and cosmetic surgery.
- Reconstructive surgery is surgery done for correction of deformities e.g. surgery for cleft palate.
- Cosmetic surgery isdone either to improve the appearance or to satisfy the fancy and sentiments of the owner E.g. Ear cropping, tail docking, etc.
- Elective surgery: In this case the operation is performed when circumstances are favorable in terms of time as well as in terms of the patient. e.g. Spaying, castration, etc
- Emergency surgery: It requires immediate intervention without spending time. It is performed and recommended in case of profuse haemorrhage, perforation of visceral organs, sever tympany of the rumen.
- Major surgery is surgery which is relatively more difficult to perform, time consuming, involves risk on the life of the patient and requires the help of an assistant. E.g. Cesarean section, thoracic surgery, etc
- Minor surgery is surgery which is relatively simple to perform, having no risk on the life of the animal and does not require the services of an assistant E.g. Lancing an abscess.
- Radical surgery is surgery by which the root cause or source of a disease condition is removed or rectified. E.g. Hernial repair, Enucleation of a tumor, etc.
- Exploratory surgery is done to arrive at a diagnosis or for the confirmation of a diagnosis. E.g. Exploratory laparotomy, paracentesis, etc
According to region or system involved:
Advancement in surgery has lead to this classification and surgeons specialise on a particular region or system E.g. Orthopaedic surgery, Ophthalmic surgery, Thoracic surgery, Cardiovascular surgery, Neurosurgery, etc.
According to Instruments and appliances used for Surgery:
- The term General surgery is used when only the common surgical instruments used in the procedure. E.g. Castration.
- In Microsurgery magnification facilities are used for specialised surgical procedures. E.g. Vascular anastomosis
- Cryosurgery involves controlled use of substances like liquid nitrogen which produces freezing temperatures to destroy abnormal tissues. E.g. Removal of warts.
- In Electrosurgery electricity is converted to heat to incise a tissue. E.g. Excision of small tumors using electrocautery.
- In LASER surgery laser beams are used to cut or destroy the diseased tissue.