Visceral surgery refers to a branch of surgery that is concerned with the diagnosis and management of pathologies of the abdomino-pelvic organs. We also talk about digestive surgery.

 In Quebec, visceral surgery is not a surgical specialty. On the other hand, there is thoracic surgery, which is concerned with diseases of the esophagus, stomach, but also of the chest wall, lungs, trachea or even the diaphragm. And colorectal surgery which deals with pathologies of the colon, rectum and anus. 

Different types of surgery fall within the scope of visceral surgery. Let us quote:

• surgeryesophagus and the diaphragm;
• surgerystomach, duodenum and jejuno-ileum;
• colorectal and proctologic surgery;
• liver, spleen and portal system surgery;
• bile duct and pancreatic surgery;
• parietal surgery;
• surgery of the peritoneal and pelvic cavities;
• and breast and endocrine gland surgery.

Patients consult in particular for the following conditions:

• a appendicitis ;
• peritonitis;
• digestive bleeding;
• a bowel obstruction ;
• of the hemorrhoids ;
• a hernia ;
• un stomach ulcer ;
• tumors in the colon, stomach, etc;
• or for pathologies of the small intestine, the pancreas or the liver.

The visceral surgeon intervenes at different stages:

• the preoperative assessment, in particular in order to predict the extent of the intervention;
• the operation itself: he can then perform a laparotomy (which consists of incising the abdomen), or a laparoscopy (the surgery is then performed with a closed stomach, through an optic and inserted instruments in the wall of the abdomen);
• post-operative follow-up.

Any surgery, whatever it is, can present risks during the operation (risks of anesthetics, hemorrhages, infections, etc.) and complications afterwards.

It is also the role of the visceral surgeon to clearly explain the details, the difficulties and the risks of the surgical intervention he will perform.

In France, to become a visceral surgeon:

You must have a diploma of complementary specialized studies (DESC) in visceral and digestive surgery:

• the student must first follow 6 years of medical study;
• at the end of the 6th year, he must enter the internship at the end of which he obtains a diploma of specialized studies (DES) in general surgery, for 5 years;
• and finally, he follows a DESC in visceral and digestive surgery for 3 years.

To be able to practice and hold the title of doctor, the student must defend a research thesis.

Before seeing a visceral surgeon, it is important to take any recent prescriptions, any x-rays, scans or even MRIs performed.

To find a visceral surgeon in France, you can consult the website of the National Council of the Order of Physicians2.

When the consultation is prescribed by an attending physician, it is covered by Health Insurance.