The Department of Surgery is one among the six departments of the Directorate of Surgical Services comprises of five units. These units are divided according to their areas of specialization which are; Gastroenterology and General Surgery, Thoracic and General Surgery, Urology, Paediatric Surgery and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit. The overall responsibility of the department is to provide effective, efficiency and high quality tertiary specialist surgical services to patients.
Gastroenterology and General Surgery
This unit is responsible for all surgical diseases along the gastro-Intestinal tract including the liver. It also takes care of patients with general surgical conditions both elective and emergency cases. The most common elective surgeries performed under this firm includes biliary surgeries, surgeries for gastric and colon malignancies, mastectomies, thyroidectomies and many others. Where as the most common emergence cases include laparotomies for peritonitis, Intestinal obstruction, abdominal trauma and amputations for diabetic feet.
Thoracic and General Surgery.
This unit is responsible for all thoracic conditions which are surgical. It also takes care of patients with general surgical conditions: both elective and emergencies. The most common elective surgical conditions managed under this firm include surgeries for empyema thoracis, thoracotomy for achalasia of the oesophagus, lung resections, and myasthenia gravis. Others include surgeries for malignancies of the breast, stomach, colon and rectum, thyroid and others. The most common emergence cases operated include laparotomies for peritonitis, intestinal obstruction, abdominal trauma and amputations for diabetic feet.
Urology Unit.
It is a superspeciality which takes care of all urological surgical conditions. Both open and endoscopic surgeries are done under this unit. The top ten urological conditions which are managed by this firm includes Benign Prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), Urinary bladder cancer, Prostate cancer, Urethral stricture, Hydronephrosis, Hypospadia, undescended testis, renal tumour and PUV ( Posterior Urethral Valve). The most common emergency conditions include urinary retention, ureteric injuries, post traumatic kidneys and urinary bladder injuries.
Paediatric Surgery Unit.
The Unit is responsible with all the surgical cases of children under the age of eleven years. This excludes children with orthopaedic conditions, neurosurgical, plastic conditions and urological conditions because these are cared for in the respective units. The most common surgical conditions which are managed under this firm includes hernias, anorectal malformations, hirschsprungs disease and Paediatric tumours. The most common emergency conditions attended include laparotomies, for pentonitis intestinal obstruction. hernias, and Trauma.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit.
The Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Burn Unit are under the department of surgery. In order to perform its clinical work efficiently, the firm works together with a multi disciplinary team of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, Nutritionist and Paediatricians. The top ten conditions which are managed in this unit include burn injuries, Post burn contractures, post traumatic contractures, neurofibromatosis keloids, lymph oedema, chronic ulcers, benign breast hypertrophy and pressure sores. Procedures which are commonly done include; Skin grafting, contracture release, Excisional biopsies, keloid excision, cosmetic procedures like reduction mammoplasty and mastopexy.