Although it is believed that the body is a complex self-regulating system, sometimes surgical intervention is indispensable. In the animal kingdom, the rule of natural selection applies - the one who is stronger, stronger, healthier survives. Human life is expensive to perform such experiments. Therefore, people with serious malfunctions of the body decide on surgery to correct a painful condition. Before doing operations, weigh the pros and cons, taking into account the chances of improvement and the risks of negative consequences.
Necessity
The decision to conduct surgery is made taking into account the evidence. They can be of a relative nature - affecting the correction of a painful condition that is not absolutely necessary - and absolute - responding to threats associated with a real and obvious danger to life. Such operations can be postponed only in the presence of agony in the patient.
In determining the evidence, justification is usually immediately given for the urgency of the intervention. At this stage, they are determined with the possibility of its implementation. The operating conditions, the availability of necessary equipment and tools, the possibility of additional examination, taking biomaterials for analysis are taken into account.
Even if the doctor has confidence that it is necessary and possible to perform the operation, he is obliged to obtain permission from the patient or persons representing his interests (unconsciousness, limited legal capacity). In some cases, if the patient’s life is threatened and his personality cannot be established, the doctor may not wait for official consent.
Diagnostics
Ideally, each patient should undergo a detailed medical examination in order to understand whether the operation can be done according to the indications. In general, a standard commission survey is carried out. At the reception, the patient claims the presence or absence of complaints of well-being.
If there are health problems, additional examinations are prescribed. In some cases, a complete blood count and radiography will suffice. In others, the results of additional tests, electrocardiography, ultrasound diagnostics, MRI, and specific tests may be needed.
Regardless of the quality of the preoperative preparation, the patient is examined by an anesthesiologist before the intervention using general anesthesia. Additionally check the absence of contraindications associated with the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, mental disorders.
The risks
Any interference in the activity of systems and organs of a living organism to a certain extent borders on the risk of irreversible consequences or critical violations of their functions. Modern diagnostics and operating methods minimize them, however, such options also need to be considered before deciding whether to undergo surgery or confine yourself to conservative treatment methods.
The principle of surgery - tissue separation - involves the presence of physiological and psychological trauma. It can be expressed more or less, but still a certain period for recovery will definitely be needed. And although when trying to identify risks, they try to follow the principle that the operation is not more dangerous than the consequences - sometimes you have to grab at any opportunity to get rid of the disease.
Types of Intervention
An operation is understood to mean a complex medical effect on the patient's body (his tissues and / or organs) in order to correct his painful condition or additional diagnostics. In most cases, this intervention occurs after opening the outer skin with a special tool. Recently, it has become possible to operate using new high-tech equipment. Electrocoagulation, wave radiofrequency exposure, laser radiation, cryosurgery, ultrasound can be used.
There are simple operations that can be carried out on the basis of outpatient departments, and complex, requiring a special room (operating unit). In different cases, the number of medical personnel will differ (surgeon, assistant, anesthetist, nurse, nurse).
How do dislocation reduction operations do? In such cases, tissue separation is optional. Correction of the condition is carried out without the help of a surgical instrument (manual allowance).
How much do the operation
Surgical intervention can last minutes or stretch for hours. It all depends on the type, purpose, complexity of the procedure. When you have to operate for several hours in a row, surgeon teams work in shifts so that doctors have the opportunity to rest. In special cases, additional specialists from related fields may be involved if a highly specialized consultation is required during the implementation of the main procedure.
Some operations are performed under general anesthesia, others under local anesthesia. If the effect is insignificant and fleeting (pulling out a staggering tooth), anesthetic can be completely abandoned. The total duration of the intervention also depends on the time of the preparatory and final procedures. There are cases when the main impact takes a minute, but to provide access to the source it takes much more time.
The duration can also be affected by the way operations are done. The fundamental principle is that the cut is made as minimal as possible, but so that it provides operational space. If everything goes according to schedule, this is one thing, but often there are unforeseen situations, complications (bleeding, shock). There is a need to prolong the action of anesthesia or anesthesia to remove the patient from a critical condition, stop the wound, and complete the operation.
Stages
There are three main points in the course of surgical intervention. First, it is necessary to expose the organ or focus (provide access). This is followed by the main procedure associated with various kinds of manipulations with a tool or equipment (operational reception). It can be different in complexity, nature, type and method of exposure. At the final stage (operational output), the integrity of the damaged tissue is restored. The wound is sutured tightly or a drainage hole is left.
The organization of a surgical operation begins with laying the prepared patient (sanitization) on the operating table. The expediency of the location is determined by the surgeon, he also selects the instrument, the option of quick access, reception and exit. Depending on what operations are done, the procedure can be carried out in any suitable position and not necessarily on the table. The anesthetist provides pain relief, the assistant helps during the intervention, the operating nurse is responsible for the instrument and materials, the nurse provides the proper level of cleanliness.
Kinds
From how operations are done, primary and repeated (after complications) are distinguished among them. Surgical intervention can be radical, aimed at completely eliminating the causes or consequences of pathologies, or palliative (partial solution to the problem). If it is impossible to solve the problem, an intervention is performed aimed at alleviating the patient's condition (symptomatic intervention).
In terms of time they can be emergency (immediately upon diagnosis according to indications), urgent (within the first hours after admission to the hospital), planned against the background of a normal general condition (without a specific period, according to the patient’s readiness). You can also distinguish interventions associated with violations in the integrity of tissues or organs (bloody), and bloodless (crushing stones); purulent (abscesses) and aseptic (clean).
They distinguish from the nature of localization: abdominal (peritoneum, chest, skull) and superficial (skin). And also: on soft tissues (muscles) and bone (amputations, resections). From the type of tissue over which the surgery is performed: neurosurgical, ophthalmic, plastic and so on.
The name of the surgical operation is determined by the type of organ on which the effect is carried out and the operative reception. For example, appendectomy - removal of the appendix; thoracoplasty - elimination of defects and so on.
What to do after surgery
Depending on the complexity of the intervention, the surgeon decides on the advisability of further monitoring the patient. In a mild case, he can be released home or referred for observation by a local GP. They can be transferred to a regular ward or intensive care unit, delivered to the intensive care unit. In any case, a rehabilitation period is necessary for a full recovery.
Depending on the complexity of the intervention, it can have a different length and include a wide range of procedures: physiotherapy, massage, preventive physical education. This stage is aimed at restoring the tone of the atrophied muscles after a long bed rest or, for example, at increasing the motor activity of the damaged joint. In each case, a specific task is set, which can be achieved by various methods. The main goal is the restoration of body functions that ensure a normal lifestyle.