Surgery is the branch of medicine concerned with treatment of injuries or disorders of the body by incision, manipulation or alteration of organs with the hands or with instruments. Surgery is used to treat a vast variety of diseases and conditions. For example, it is one of the main treatments for cancer. Usually a surgical knife (scalpel) is used, but high-energy light beams (lasers) can also be used to cut through body tissue. Cryotherapy is a type of surgery that uses a freezing probe to remove tissue.
Before having an operation, the patient will be asked to indicate that they understand the nature of the surgical procedure to be performed and that they give their permission for the operation. Informed consent forms are used to indicate that the patient has received the necessary information regarding the surgery and have provided their approval to undergoing the operation, with awareness of the risks and complications involved.
