How do you select the word procedure, surgery or operation?

[compiler]

I heard doctors frequently say procedure, surgery or operation. What is the difference between the procedure, surgery and operation? Does the procedure usually mean no stitches while surgery does and operation is the same as surgery? Does operation include both surgery and procedure? Does surgery include procedure? Can you explain it?

 

[probus]

Surgery is anything that involves cutting into flesh or bone. All "operations" are surgery. "Procedures" on the other hand may or may not involve surgery.

All of this is medical jargon.

 

[tedmc]

In terms of scope, "procedure" covers the widest, followed by "surgery" and "operation". A procedure is a general term which refers to a list of tasks to be performed. A surgery involves physical treatment to any part of a body. Dental treatment can also be considered surgery. Operation is about opening up the body.

 

[teechar]

Surgery is anything that involves cutting into flesh or bone.

Not necessarily. For example, laser eye surgery does not involve any cutting.

 

[SoothingDave]

Sure it does. It cuts with a laser.

 

[teechar]

I disagree. I don't think it necessarily "cuts".

 

[SoothingDave]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LASIK

See "flap creation" and the animation.

 

[jutfrank]

A surgeon performs surgery (uncountable noun so don't say a surgery).
Surgery takes the form of an operation (countable noun). A heart transplant is an operation. This is an example of heart surgery.
Every operation has a procedure (the methodical way it is done), which is carried out by the surgeon.

(I would say that surgery always involves some kind of cutting, whether with a laser or scalpel or other instrument.)

 

[teechar]

I disagree. A laser may burn or ablate tissue. It needn't cut into it.

 

[probus]

Man, we are really down to splitting microscopic hairs here. I have a daughter who is a surgeon. She laments that she cannot get enough OR time to perform as many operations or surgeries as she would like to. So surgery is countable, at least in some contexts.

 

[compiler]

Is it correct, medical procedure can be surgery while surgery does not have to be medical procedure?

 

[Matthew Wai]

I would say that surgery always involves some kind of cutting

Last week, in surgery, I underwent cystolithotripsy, which involved no cutting.

 

[SoothingDave]

Is it correct, medical procedure can be surgery while surgery does not have to be medical procedure?

No. Surgery is one type of medical procedure. So all surgeries are medical procedures, but not all medical procedures are surgeries.