What is a Major Surgery?

There are varying definitions of major surgery, and what constitutes the difference between major and minor surgery. As a general rule, a major surgery is any surgery in which the patient must be put under general anesthesia and given respiratory assistance because he or she cannot breathe independently. In addition, major surgery usually carries some degree of risk to the patient's life, or the potential for severe disability if something goes wrong during the surgery. Several other features can be used to distinguish major surgery from minor surgery. For example, in a major surgical procedure, significant resection or changes to the anatomy are involved, as in situations where organs are removed, or joints are rebuilt with artificial parts. Any penetration of the body cavity is treated as major surgery, as are extensive orthopedic surgeries on the extremities. Neurosurgery is generally considered major because of the risks to the patient, even though patients are not necessarily ...  more