The Present and Future of Surgery

Choi, Yong Man

Abstract

Surgery is a field of the medical science that aims to treat disease with the best possible medical skill. Until recently, surgeons have had a fixed idea that an adequate big incision is needed to perform a satisfactory operation and to get a good result. As we say in Korea, "Great surgeon, big incision was the traditional rule when training a surgeon. However, we are now at turning point and transition period for the surgical Department of medical science. Almost every day we are experiencing the change that the surgeon can perform a minimally invasive procedure for people with disease, and the present high technical procedures are less invasive have less complications, superior cosmetic results and faster recovery. This is partially because the consumers, i.e., the patients, demand this more advanced medical service and so surgeons, are, making strenuous efforts to achieve a more humanistic medical approach to treatment. Of course, minimally invasive surgery has some limitations and pitfalls for its technical and, economical, aspects. We cannot oppose to this general trend in spite of possible obstacles. We can anticipate rather major changes in surgery, such as "individualized minimally invasive surgery" or "tailored surgery". So, we should prepare ourselves with study and education to receive this new paradigm.