What is General Surgery?
General surgery is a branch with a broad scope of practice. In this field, when diseases cannot be treated with medication or other medical treatment methods, surgery is performed to repair or remove the problematic organ. General surgery is associated with departments such as oncology, endocrinology, and traumatology. Surgical procedures in general surgery are always performed by specialized doctors.

Anesthesia specialists, nurses, and surgical technicians are important parts of the relevant team in these operations. The pre-operative and post-operative processes are thoroughly explained to the patient. In general surgical operations, the most advanced technological devices are also used. Surgeons utilize advanced devices in this field to find solutions to related problems.

What is Endoscopy?
Endoscopy is one of the most important methods for examining digestive system diseases. This method enables the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of diseases. Endoscopy, which has been around for approximately 40 years, allows for the early diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. As technology advances, significant changes also occur in the technological devices used within this practice.

 In this method, a device called an endoscope is used. This device, with a small camera at its tip, allows for the examination of the gastrointestinal system, including the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, and colon. This examination is also called endoscopy. Endoscopy reveals factors causing digestive system disorders.

Additionally, it can be said that endoscopy is an important treatment tool for conditions such as gastric bleeding and removal of polyps in the stomach. Furthermore, endoscopy is divided into “gastroscopy and colonoscopy.”

Now let’s have an idea about who endoscopy can be applied to. Endoscopy can be applied to the following individuals:

• Those experiencing stomach pain
• Individuals with anemia problems
• Those experiencing difficulty swallowing
• Individuals with heartburn
• Those experiencing burning in the chest, persistent nausea, and vomiting
• Individuals experiencing fever and weakness
• Those experiencing unexplained weight loss
• Individuals who have undergone gastric surgery
• Those who have undergone endoscopy before (for control purposes)
• Those vomiting brown and experiencing bleeding from the mouth
• Those with black stool problems
• Patients who can be nourished through a tube inserted into the stomach (for the insertion of a gastric catheter)
• Those with prolonged constipation complaints
• Those experiencing bleeding in the rectal area
• Patients with Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
• Those with indigestion problems
• Patients with abnormalities in the intestinal wall
• Patients with suspicious lesions seen on tomography and contrasted intestinal and stomach films (for the fragmentation of these lesions)

These types of situations and conditions make endoscopy possible. The completion time of this procedure can vary from person to person. Factors such as the person’s age, health condition, anxiety level, the purpose of the procedure, physician experience, and similar factors are very important within the procedure time. It can be said that all of these factors are important determinants within the procedure time.

What is Colonoscopy?

Colonoscopy, an endoscopic procedure, is used for both diagnosis and treatment. This procedure reveals colon cancer, intestinal diseases, and gastrointestinal diseases. Especially, colonoscopy is indeed very effective in the early diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer.

During the colonoscopy procedure, the person’s colon and rectum are examined. During this procedure, polyps in the colon may be removed and their tissue may be taken for examination in the laboratory. In this colonoscopy procedure, the rectum is entered through the anus, and diagnosis and treatment are attempted. An endoscopic tube with light and a camera at its tip is sent into the person’s intestine, and examinations are performed here.

That was the description of the colonoscopy method. Now let’s take a look at exactly what situations this important treatment is performed in.

• Persistent abdominal pains
• Rectal bleeding
• Chronic diarrhea
• Colon cancer
• Chronic constipation
• Unexplained anemia
• Anemia or iron deficiency
• Unexplained sudden weight loss
• Screening for colon cancer
• Polyp control

Colonoscopy, which can only be performed by experts, usually takes between 20 minutes to 1 hour. However, it should be noted that sedation drugs are administered to patients in such cases. In these cases, it may take 1-2 hours for patients to recover from the effects of the medication. Additionally, air is introduced into the person’s intestines to obtain a good image. It may take 1 to 2 days for the gas and bloating caused by this air to completely disappear.

If you are going to undergo colonoscopy, here are some things to be aware of after the procedure. This list could be as follows:

• The patient should be rested in a hospital environment for about 1 hour after the procedure.
• A caregiver should be present with the patient.
• Driving a car on the day of the procedure is not recommended.
• Walking is important to minimize discomfort caused by intestinal gas formed during this procedure.
• You should avoid activities that strain you, including heavy lifting, for a while.
• Seeing a small amount of blood in your stool after the procedure is quite normal. However, if this continues constantly, you should consult your doctor immediately.
• It is necessary to wait at least 24 hours for daily routine.

What is Gallbladder Surgery?
Gallbladder surgery, also known as cholecystectomy, involves the removal of the gallbladder, which is located in the upper right part of the abdomen, just below the liver. The gallbladder is where bile fluid produced in the liver is stored.

This surgery method, which carries only a small risk of complications, is a very well-established and common practice. In gallbladder surgery, tiny incisions are made to see inside the abdomen. Surgical devices with cameras and lights sent through these incisions allow necessary observations to be made. In medical terms, this procedure is called laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Additionally, in some cases, there may be situations that require a larger incision to remove the gallbladder. This is called open cholecystectomy. This method is usually recommended for extremely obese individuals, those with severe gallbladder disease, and those in the late stages of pregnancy.

Of course, there must be conditions that require gallbladder surgery to be performed. If your gallstones are not causing symptoms, there is no need for surgery. However, if a gallstone enters one of your bile ducts or blocks your bile duct, then gallbladder surgery may be necessary.

If your bile ducts are blocked, you may experience severe abdominal pain. If the conditions caused by gallstones are not corrected with treatment, serious problems can occur. Gallbladder surgery is generally performed to completely prevent the problems caused by gallstones. Doctors may recommend cholecystectomy in the following conditions.

 

• Cholelithiasis; formation of stones in the gallbladder
• Large gallbladder polyps
• Choledocholithiasis; stones in the bile duct
• Cholecystitis; inflammation of the gallbladder
• Pancreatitis; inflammation of the pancreas caused by gallstones

Your doctor will perform several tests before deciding whether to perform gallbladder surgery. These tests can be listed as follows:

• Ultrasound
• Blood test
• MRI scan for imaging blocked channels
• Ultrasonografi