Top General Surgeons in Singapore

A general surgeon is a medical specialist who is skilled and qualified to perform surgery for a wide range of illnesses, diseases, injuries and impairment – both minor and major ones. These general surgeons are educated and trained in the diagnosis, preoperative, operative and postoperative management of patient surgical care. They have received extensive professional training and experiences in the medical industry for a significant number of years. As the name suggests, general surgery is a surgical process that is primarily related to the contents of the abdomen such as the intestines, liver, colon, pancreas, gall bladder, stomach, and thyroid gland. General surgeons are also dedicated to a variety of services such as trauma surgery, transplant surgery, breast surgery, colorectal surgery and vascular surgery. They can perform all kinds of procedures, from robotic or minimally invasive surgery to major and emergency trauma surgery.

Despite the use of the term “general”, these general surgeons are highly skilled in a variety of specialised surgical procedures. They are trained to deal with the comprehensive care of the patient from the very first consultation and further ones. All in all, general surgeons focus on the surgical treatment of medical conditions affecting almost every area of the human body.

These general surgeons are medical specialists who will take care of you right from the start – from the first diagnosis of your condition and even after surgery. After the surgery, it will be your recovery process.

Types of Surgical Procedures

These general surgeons are highly experienced and skilled to perform a wide range of surgical procedures for elderly, adults, children and infants in the following areas:

An appendectomy is a surgery to remove the appendix. This surgical procedure will help to cure the issue of appendicitis, which is an infection or inflammation of the appendix. Doctors also perform this surgery for tumors of the appendix. FYI: One can live without the appendix.

If doctors suspect breast cancer, breast surgery may be necessary. Breast surgery can also treat non-cancerous tumors that are creating problems in the breast. Some of the most common breast surgical procedures include:

• Breast biopsy to remove a small piece of breast tissue to see if there is presence of cancer.
• Lumpectomy to surgically remove a tumor from the breast.
• Mastectomy to surgically remove one or both breasts. This surgery is most likely used to treat breast cancer. Doctors would also recommend it as a preventive measure for women at high risk of breast cancer.

Doctors perform colon and rectal surgery to treat a wide range of medical conditions such as bowel obstruction, cancer, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, injury, and haemorrhoids. These conditions are further explained by:

• Colectomy, also called colon or bowel resection, removes all or part of the colon, or large intestine. This requires an incision in the abdomen. Most people would have to spend a few days to a few weeks in the hospital after surgery. Full recovery may take several weeks.
• Colostomy is a surgery to connect the colon to an external opening in the abdomen called a stoma. People who have a colostomy pass out stool through the colostomy into a special bag, instead of the rectum. A colostomy may be temporary or permanent, depending on the condition of the patient’s colon and health.
• Hemorrhoidectomy removes haemorrhoids, or also known as piles, which are swollen, inflamed blood vessels in the anus and rectum. Most of them are caused by lifestyle habits and medication. Large, severe or persistent haemorrhoids would require surgery.

Your esophagus is the hollow tube that runs from your mouth to your stomach. Because the esophagus plays such an important role in the digestive process, people who suffer from esophageal problems can be affected significantly. For instance, their nutritional intake and overall quality of life. Many esophageal diseases can be treated with medication, but some require surgical treatment. Common esophageal surgeries include:

• Acid reflux surgery treats GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). GERD occurs when the muscles of the esophagus do not close the opening to the stomach tight enough. Acid reflux surgery involves wrapping the upper part of the stomach around the bottom of the esophagus to tighten the stomach opening.
• Esophagectomy removes all or part of the esophagus. Surgeons would primarily use this to treat esophageal cancer and Barrett’s esophagus—a precancerous condition.
• Excision of an esophageal lesion removes a growth or suspicious area inside your esophagus. If the growth is small and has not extended into the wall of the esophagus, a surgeon would remove it with a minimally invasive surgery.

General surgeons also perform a range of procedures to diagnose, cure and treat gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. They can perform:

• Upper GI endoscopy is a diagnostic test. During this procedure, doctors will use an endoscope—a thin, lighted tube with a camera on the end—to see the inside of your upper GI tract for diagnosis and treatment plan.
• Gastric bypass surgery treats morbid obesity. There are different surgical approaches to gastric bypass. This is a major operation that involves making the stomach smaller or altering the anatomy of the stomach and intestines so food travels more quickly through the body.
• Liver biopsy removes a small amount of liver tissue, which is then sent to a laboratory for analysis. Liver biopsies help to figure out or diagnose liver disease.

Gallbladder removal is a surgery to remove the gallbladder. The gallbladder is an organ involved in digestion. It holds the fluid that your liver makes to help break down body fat. Cholecystectomy is a procedure that treats gallstones, gallbladder inflammation or infection, and gallbladder cancer.

Hernia repair is the surgical correction of a hernia. A hernia occurs when an organ or other structure protrudes through a weak area in tissue or muscle. Hernias can appear on the chest, thigh, groin, or belly button and cause a visible and unusual lump or bump. During a hernia repair surgery, surgeons will put the protruding organ back in place and fix the weakened area of muscle or tissue.

A general surgeon can also remove thick, twisted varicose veins that visually bulge through the skin. This common condition usually affects the feet and legs. Some of them can be very painful and sometimes increase the risk for blood clots and skin sores. Today, doctors will use a procedure that removes the swollen veins through one or more small incisions.

The thyroid gland is located at the bottom of the front of your neck. This gland produces hormones that are significant for metabolism. However, it could swell up, enlarge, making it hard to breathe or swallow due to certain diseases. It could also be overactive and produce too much of a certain hormone. Cancer is the most common reason for thyroid gland surgery.

A general surgeon may remove all or part of your thyroid – depending on the condition.

Many wounds heal with time (due to the immune function of our body) or with minor medical treatment. More serious wounds may require the attention of a surgeon. The surgeon will help with healing and improving the appearance of the wound after it heals. Stitches, debridement and skin grafts are forms of wound repair.

Besides these procedures, a general surgeon is responsible for many other surgeries from one’s head to toe. Thus, their roles and responsibilities are rather sophisticated and important.

Thus, we have created a comprehensive list of the best general surgeons in Singapore to make your lives easier. Check out our picks below!