General surgery

Most surgeries are planned in advance. This involves an appointment with your general surgeon to evaluate your condition, determine whether surgery is needed and decide which procedure is most appropriate. Your surgery will be scheduled for a later date.

If you need a minor procedure, like cyst removal or wound care, it may be appropriate to perform in the clinic setting. Your doctor will decide this during your evaluation.

Of course, some surgeries are unplanned. Allina Health hospitals have surgeons with advanced training and deep experience in trauma and acute care. These surgeons are available 24/7 to provide immediate care to patients of all ages who are critically or acutely ill, or arrive in the emergency room with traumatic injuries.

Some of the more common planned or emergency surgical procedures include:

• appendectomy
• gastrointestinal surgery
• gallbladder surgery
• tonsils and adenoids
• hernia repair (esophageal, umbilical, epigastric, diaphragmatic hiatal, inguinal, ventral, incisional and internal)
• endocrine surgery for thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal conditions.

Some of the more complex surgeries include:

• cancer (breast, esophagus, gastric, small bowel, appendix, pancreas, colorectal, soft tissue, endocrine and lymphoma)
• melanoma
• Complex hernia surgery and abdominal wall reconstruction
• gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) surgery for acid reflux and heartburn

Many surgical procedures are minimally invasive, meaning smaller incisions, less blood loss and faster recovery times. Examples of minimally invasive surgery include robotic surgery and laparoscopic surgery. Your surgeon will work with you to determine the best option for you. Virtual visits and interpreter services are available. 

Whether the surgery you need is planned or unplanned, routine or very specialized, you can trust us to get you moving forward again.

Following your surgical consultation, you will get instructions on how to prepare for your surgery and what to do after your surgery. You can review Allina Health's online manual to learn more about what you need to know before your surgery.

A print copy of this manual is also available for you to download.

Your health care team will perform a brief COVID-19 evaluation before your surgery. We still require patients and visitors to wear a medically safe mask at all locations without exceptions. For the safety of others, please follow our visitor guidelines for inpatient and outpatient procedures.