General Surgery, despite its name, is quite specific. General surgeons specialize in complex and simple procedures involving the skin, breast, lymph nodes, endocrine glands (thyroid and parathyroid, adrenal, and pancreas), and the organs in the abdomen. Surgical treatment of cancer is one of the most important roles of the general surgeon. Disorders of the abdominal wall (hernias) are also treated by general surgeons. Hernias include inguinal, femoral, umbilical, incisional, ventral, and hiatal or paraesophageal hernias. Procedures involving the gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, and colon, are exclusively performed by general surgeons.
