In the past, the term “surgery” covered all surgical specializations.  The term “surgeon” covered all those who operated on the stomach, femur or prostate.  Gradually, special areas of expertise emerged…

        In the past, the term “surgery” covered all surgical specializations.  The term “surgeon” covered all those who operated on the stomach, femur or prostate.  Gradually, special areas of expertise emerged:  orthopaedic surgery, vascular surgery, cardiac surgery, urologic surgery, neurosurgery.  Digestive surgery as a distinctive area of expertise appeared quite recently

Digestive surgery includes all surgery of guts, especially of digestive track.

The new generation of digestive surgeons work only in this kind of surgery and leave varicose veins to vascular surgeons, hip prostheses to orthopaedists, etc..

This new current is a guarantee of the highest quality in this specialty, which offers a high level of technology and knowledge.

There has been a recent increase in laparoscopic surgery, that is surgery using small incisions to place an optic device linked to a camera into the abdomen.  Using other orifices, the instruments are brought into the body to carry out the operation.

The first digestive surgery to use laparoscopy was a vesicle removal carried out by Dr Philippe MOURET at Clinique de la Sauvegarde in 1989.

Many other operations have been carried out ever since using this approach: treatment of inguinal hernia or of hiatus hernia, colon removal, gastrectomy (stomach removal), obesity surgery, surgery of adrenal glands, pancreas, etc...

Digestive surgery has become increasingly specialized: liver transplant, biliary surgery, obesity surgery, endocrine surgery (thyroid gland, adrenal gland, pancreas).

Digestive surgeons do not work alone anymore.  They work with other specialists, such as gastroenterologist and digestive radiologists, who are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of digestive ills, or with oncologists, radiotherapist and endocrinologist

The anesthesiologist is involved in the operation ant post-operative phase.

The best facility for digestive surgery will include all medical skills, physicians, general care, reanimation, imagery, and also everything necessary for good quality (pain reduction, anti-nosocomial infection environment).