General Surgery (Liver, Pancreas, Biliary)

Hepatobiliary surgery includes surgery of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and bile ducts. It is a branch of medicine called hepatology that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases like cancer affecting those organs. Surgery range from liver resection to remove scarring or cirrhosis in the liver; to that of half of a diseased liver. The remaining liver regener-ates itself over a period of time; though re-stricted by the extent of prevailing disease. Thus the criteria for a resection procedure is determined by the level of cirrhosis present. Pancreatic and delicate bile duct repair is also carried out by a hepatobiliary surgeon. Liver transplant; for patients suffering from end-stage liver disease in which the liver has become damaged beyond repair is carried out by replacement with part of a healthy liver tak-en from a donor during major surgery. Both pa-tient and donor is evaluated and assess via a stringent process overseen by an Ethical Com-mittee. Recovery process can take up to six months or more.