Minor Surgery
Minor Surgery is any surgical procedure that does not involve general anaesthesia or respiratory assistance during the surgical procedure.
Minor Surgery procedures include, for example:
- Ingrown toenails
- Skin tags
- Skin cysts
- Incision and drainage of an abscess
- Warts
- Joint injections
- Cryotherapy
Minor surgery is usually carried out on an out-patient basis in the GP Surgery. Prior to any minor surgery the doctor will conduct an initial consult to confirm a diagnosis and a plan for the procedure and gain informed consent. The only part of minor surgery that may hurt is when the local anaesthetic is administered, after this the procedure is pain free. The length of time the procedure will take is dependent on the condition being treated and can range from 10 minutes to a half hour or more. Your doctor will also advise if more visits are required to treat your condition.
After minor surgery:
Should you have a wound, your doctor will give you instructions on how to look after it to
keep it clean and free of infection until it has healed
You may also need to take painkillers to relieve any discomfort or antibiotics to prevent
infection
After some minor surgery you may feel a little faint or uncomfortable and may need someone
to take you home
You will be given a follow-up appointment, and you may also need to have stitches removed