What are the four main categories of surgery?

In general, there are four classifications, or categories of surgery. Each may impact how quickly your surgery is scheduled or performed. The categories are: 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.

Surgery

Why Choose Ochsner for Surgery?

The surgery team at Ochsner Health is skilled at performing both major and minor surgeries for a wide range of conditions.

Whether you need surgery after an accident, to remove a tumor, to improve your quality of life or to save your life, our team will work with you and your family to make sure you have a safe, smooth and comfortable surgery and recovery.

Before your procedure, you will meet with different specialists or receive referrals to subspecialists all in the same visit. Your care team will include healthcare professionals from several specialties, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, pathologists, radiologists, social workers and more.

Our board-certified and fellowship-trained surgeons from multiple specialties work together closely whenever necessary to provide the best patient care. We recognize that the best surgical results don’t come from the skill of one surgeon alone.

Ochsner surgeons are skilled in minimally invasive surgical techniques, and also can handle the most complex cases.

Surgical procedures performed at our facilities include:

U.S. News & World Report has repeatedly awarded 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 gastroenterology 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.

FAQs

In general, there are four classifications, or categories of surgery. Each may impact how quickly your surgery is scheduled or performed. The categories are:

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.

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