What Everybody Ought to Know

About Surgical Emergencies

A surgical emergency is an injury or illness that is acute (rapid onset and/or short course) and presents an instant risk to a person’s life or long term health.

Surgical intervention is the only option to eliminate or solve the problem successfully.

You should see a doctor as soon as possible if any of the following problems occur:

• Acute trauma
  • Motor vehicle accidents and falls
• Acute appendicitis
  • Dull pain near the navel or the upper abdomen that becomes sharp as it moves to the lower right abdomen. This is usually the first sign.
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea and/or vomiting soon after abdominal pain begins
  • Abdominal swelling
  • Fever
  • Inability to pass gas
• Ruptured aortic aneurysm
  • Chest pain, generally described as deep and aching or throbbing. This is the most frequent symptom.
  • Back pain
  • A cough or shortness of breath if the aneurysm is in the area of the lungs.
  • Hoarseness
  • Difficulty or pain while swallowing
• Aortic dissection
  • Severe chest pain. The pain may feel like a heart attack and it:
    • Can be described as sharp, stabbing, tearing, or ripping
    • Is felt below the chest bone, then moves under the shoulder blades or to the back
    • Can move to the shoulder, neck, arm, jaw, abdomen, or hips
    • Changes position, often moving to the arms and legs as the aortic dissection gets worse
  • Symptoms are caused by a decrease of blood flowing to the rest of the body, and can include:
    • Anxiety and a feeling of doom
    • Fainting or dizziness
    • Heavy sweating (clammy skin)
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Pale skin (pallor)
    • Rapid, weak pulse
    • Shortness of breath and trouble breathing when lying flat
• Bowel obstruction
  • Crampy abdominal pain that comes and goes
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Inability to have a bowel movement or pass gas
  • Swelling of the abdomen (distention)

In addition, Our General Surgery Center provides the latest treatments for:

• abscesses
• cysts, benign masses, lipomas
• gallbladder issues
• gallstones
• hernias
• gastrointestinal cancer
• gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD)
• gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)
• obesity
• pancreatic cancer
• pancreatitis
• sigmoid diverticulitis

Once your surgeon prescribes surgery to correct or repair a problem, you’ll probably have several questions. What will happen or what can go wrong? Will the surgery require anesthesia? Who will look after you after surgery? When will you be returning to normal life?

You can be sure that our surgical team and support staff is here to answer your questions and offer you resources and help as you go along – before, during and after your surgery. And with experienced surgeons and the best trained nurses in Thailand, you know you’re in good hands with the experience and skill of our surgical team.

Schedule your appointment now or email our team for any questions you may have.