Surgery in the tropics

role of surgery in public health

• primary prevention
  • circumcision - 60% protective against HIV
  • protective bilateral mastectomy for genetically susceptible women
  • protective salpingo-oophorectomy to prevent breast cancer
• secondary prevention
  • reduce disease morbidity and mortality
    • inguinal hernia
  • improve QOL
    • cosmetic surgery
• diagnostic roles
  • biopsy
  • diagnositic peritoneal lavage
• curative surgery
  • early solid tumor resection
  • appendectomy
• palliative care
  • obstructive colon cancer
  • tumor debulking
  • colostomy placement
  • draining pleural effusion in lung metastasis
• trauma care