General Surgery Introduction
The discipline of surgery although practised widely throughout the world since pre Christian times can be thought as having its beginnings in the United Kingdom in the modern era from the early 19th century.
It was in 1800 that the long established Company of Surgeons was given its Royal Charter to become the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Since then the practice of surgery, at its beginning a more “general” profession treating a wide variety of conditions has become increasing specialised.
Over time the practice of Orthopaedic, Gynaecological, Urological, Cardiothoracic, Endocrine, Opthalmic, ENT, Maxillofacial and Plastic surgery have all more clearly defined their practice parameters and separated from the remaining body of General Surgeons. More recently the specialities of Vascular and Breast surgery have established their own training programmes and specialist organisations as well as specifying their scope of practice.
General Surgery therefore by default almost has become a speciality in its own right. It can be thought of broadly as the surgical treatment of conditions of the abdominal wall and its organs. This by no means however includes all the responsibilities a General Surgeon might have particularly in the emergency care of patients with surgical illnesses.
The other surgical specialities detailed above are not further addressed by this website but it is common to find General Surgeons cooperating and indeed operating with colleagues in many if not all other fields mentioned, most commonly in Urological and Gynaecological surgery.
