Digestive system surgery

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Digestive system surgery can be divided into upper GI surgery and lower GI surgery.

Upper gastrointestinal surgery, often referred to as upper GI surgery, refers to a practise of surgery that focuses on the upper parts of the gastrointestinal tract. There are many operations relevant to the upper gastrointestinal tract that are best done only by those who keep constant practise, owing to their complexity. Consequently, a general surgeon may specialise in ‘upper GI’ by attempting to maintain currency in those skills.

Upper GI surgeons would have an interest in, and may exclusively perform, the following operations:

• Pancreaticoduodenectomy
• Esophagectomy
• Liver resection

Lower gastrointestinal surgery surgery includes colorectal surgery as well as surgery of the small intestine.

Academically, it is the fers to a sub-specialisation of medical practise whereby a general surgeon focuses on the lower gastrointestinal tract.

A lower GI surgeon might specialise in the following operations:

• Colectomy
• Low or ultralow resections for rectal cancer, etc.