1. INTRODUCTION TO THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF SURGERY
AJADI ADETOLA
DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY

2. HISTRORICAL BACKGROUND
Knowledge of anatomy
Haemorrhage
Pathophysiology of surgical diseases
Pain
Infection
Diagnosis of surgical diseases

3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Prof. Ambroise Pare’s ( ) presented the ligature theory
Prof. Williams T. G. Morton( ) used sulphuric ether on a patient with congenital vascular tumor of the neck
Joseph Lister ( ) pioneered the antisepsis and aseptic technique
Conrad Roentgen ( ) discovered the x-ray
William Stewart Halstead ( ) was credited with the modern principles of surgery

4. SURGERY: DEFINITIONS
Surgery: The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and management of injury, defects, deformities and diseases of animals using instrumental, operative or manipulative means
Veterinary surgery: A specialty that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of elective and therapeutic conditions of companion, farm or laboratory animals using restraints, manual, instrumental or operative means

5. SURGERY: CLASSIFICATION
Degree of invasiveness
Degree of infection
Part of body involved
Objective of the surgery
Need of patients
Need of surgeons
Type of practice

6. DEGREE OF INVASIVENESS
Minor surgery: Procedures in which only the skin or mucous membrane and connective tissues are incised
Major surgery: an invasive procedure involving opening into the body cavities
Minimally invasive surgery: Surgery of the body cavities done with only small incision or no incision , such as through a cannula, laparoscope or endoscope

7. DEGREE OF INFECTION
Aseptic surgery: surgery performed in an environment free from micro-organisms so that infection or suppuration does not prevail.
Antiseptic surgery: a system of surgical practice which insists upon the use of antiseptics in the performance of operation and dressing of wounds.

8. OBJECTIVES OF THE SURGERY
Palliative surgery: aimed at ameliorating or reducing clinical sign e.g. arthrodesis
Prophylactic surgery: aimed at preventing untoward effect to the patient or handler e.g. dehorning
Curative surgery: aimed at completely removing the cause of the disease e.g. removal of calculi, tumor extirpation
Diagnostic surgery: aimed at investigating the cause of the disease through exploration and biopsy collection e.g. arthroscopy, exploratory laparotomy
Cosmetic surgery: aimed at improving the appearance of the patient to conform to standards e.g. tail docking, ear cropping
Reconstructive surgery: aimed at correction, restoration and improvement in the shape of body structures that are injured or deformed e.g. skin flaps
Extirpative surgery: aimed at altering a disease process e.g. amputation, eye enucleation

9. SURGEONS NEED
Minor surgery: a surgery that does not involve major body cavities and thus can be carried out outside of the theater, does not require strict asepsis, general anesthesia and extensive instrumentation e.g. castration
Major surgery: a surgery that involves major body cavities and thus must be carried out in the theater, requires strict asepsis, general anesthesia and extensive instrumentation e.g. ovariohysterectomy

10. PATIENTS’S NEED
Elective surgery: operative procedures that are optional, non-urgent and performed only when circumstances are favourable to the patient, client and the surgeon e.g. castration
Required surgery: an operative procedure that is needed to deal with a pathological condition within a few weeks e.g. tumor resection
Urgent surgery: an operative procedure that must be carried out within 1-2 days to deal with a pathological condition e.g. repair of ruptured diaphragm
Emergency surgery: an operative procedure that must be undertaken immediately to treat acute, potentially life threatening conditions e.g. caesarian operation, repair of ruptured visceral

11. PART OF BODY INVOLVED
Orthopaedic surgery: surgery involving the musculoskeletal systems
Soft tissue surgery: surgery involving the skin and the underlying connective tissue
Ophthalmic surgery: surgery involving the eye and the associated soft tissue surgery
Urologic surgery: surgery involving the urinary tract

12. USES OF SURGERY
To ameliorate or reducing clinical sign e.g. arthrodesis
To prevent untoward effect to the patient or handler e.g. dehorning
To remove the cause of surgical disease e.g. removal of calculi, tumor extirpation
To investigate the cause of the disease through exploration and biopsy collection e.g. arthroscopy, exploratory laparotomy
To improve the appearance of the patient in order to conform to standards e.g. tail docking, ear cropping
To correct, restore and improve the shape of body structures that are injured or deformed e.g. skin flaps
To alter disease process e.g. amputation, eye enucleation

13. COMPARISON BETWEEN VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY
Requires very little instrumentation
Does not involve operative means
Only deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases
Does not involve specialized skills
Require minimal use of restraints which is mainly physical
Does not required any asepsis does not require any specialized room
Requires the use of instrument
Involves operative means
Involves both the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, injury, defect and disorders
Involves specialized skills
Involves the use of both physical and chemical restraints
Required strict compliance with asepsis does is involve specialized room