The best surgical results don’t come from the skill of one surgeon alone. Complicated surgeries may require multiple surgeons working closely together, often from different disciplines. The Ochsner department of surgery specializes in a multidisciplinary approach to surgery, and our comprehensive approach is designed to provide the best patient care. Preoperative visits make it easy to meet with different specialists in the same visit or receive referrals to subspecialists. Our physicians also hold regular multidisciplinary conferences to discuss patient cases. Additionally, our team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, pathologists, radiologists, social workers and other healthcare professionals work with you and your family to ensure a safe, smooth and comfortable surgery and recovery.

Wherever you live across the region, you can count on finding comprehensive Ochsner surgical care close to home. Find a location near you.

Virtual visits are often available for preoperative and postoperative visits, depending on your specific surgery.

Ochsner offers access to dozens of surgical specialties for a wide range of conditions. Our departments include:

• Acute care surgery

• Bariatric surgery

• Breast surgery

• Cardiothoracic surgery

• Colon and rectal surgery

• Endocrine surgery

• Ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery

• Eye surgery, including laser, refractive, retina and vitreous surgery

• Gastrointestinal surgery

• General surgery

• Gynecologic surgery

• Head and neck surgery

• Neurosurgery

• Orthopedic surgery

• Pediatric congenital heart surgery

• Pediatric ENT surgery

• Pediatric general surgery

• Pediatric plastic surgery

• Pediatric orthopedic surgery

• Pediatric urologic surgery

• Plastic and reconstructive surgery

• Podiatry

• Robotic and minimally invasive surgery

• Surgical oncology

• Thoracic surgery

• Transplant surgery

• Urological surgery

• Vascular and endovascular surgery

U.S. News & World Report repeatedly awards Ochsner high marks for its surgical specialties. In 2022, Ochsner ranked in the country’s top 10% of programs for gastroenterology surgery, neurosurgery and lung surgery. Ochsner was also named “High Performing” for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, aortic valve surgery, colon cancer surgery, hip replacement, knee replacement, lung cancer surgery, prostate cancer surgery, stroke, transcatheter aortic valve replacement and uterine cancer surgery. The pediatric surgical department at Ochsner Hospital for Children was also recognized for its heart surgery and GI surgery programs.

Additionally, Healthgrades has named Ochsner one of America’s “50 Best Hospitals” for vascular surgery and one of America’s “100 Best Hospitals” for joint replacement and prostate surgery.

Surgery is performed for any number of reasons. You may need surgery after an accident, or you may need surgery to remove a tumor. Many people have surgery to improve their quality of life, while others need surgery to save their lives.

In general, there are four classifications of surgery, each of which may impact how quickly your surgery is scheduled or performed:

• Emergency, or immediate surgery. This type of surgery is performed as quickly as possible, when every second matters to save a life, limb or organ. An emergency surgery might be performed after a heart attack, stroke or traumatic brain injury.

• Urgent surgery. This kind of surgery is performed within hours, or possibly days, of the onset of problems. Urgent surgery might be performed after you break a bone or have an abdominal injury.

• Expedited, or non-urgent surgery. This surgery may happen within days or weeks after your doctor recommends surgery. This type of surgery includes cancer surgery and surgical procedures for orthopedic injuries.

• Elective surgery. These surgeries may be planned months in advance. Some may be medically necessary, such as gallbladder removal or joint replacement, while other procedures may be purely elective, such as cosmetic plastic surgery.