General surgery

MRCS candidates should:

• Have a knowledge of the surgical conditions listed below
• Know the principles of investigations used by the speciality
• Know the principles of the main surgical procedures used

The abdomen

Abdominal trauma

• Penetrating abdominal trauma
• Blunt abdominal trauma
• Assessment and management of abdominal trauma
• Specific organ injuries
  • Spleen

Common abdominal problems

• Abscesses
• Abdominal pain
• Abdominal incisions
• Abdominal masses
• Ovarian cysts
• The acute abdomen
  • Acute appendicitis
  • Perforated peptic ulcer
  • Mesenteric ischaemia

Abdominal emergencies

• Intestinal obstruction
  • Small bowel obstruction
  • Large bowel obstruction
  • Pseudo-obstruction
  • Sigmoid and caecal volvulus
• Peritonitis and abdominal abscess
• Gastrointestinal haemorrhage
  • Upper GI haemorrhage
  • Lower GI haemorrhage

Abdominal hernia

• Inguinal and femoral hernia
• Incision hernia
• Rare hernias

Intestinal fistulae

• Classification of intestinal fistulae
• Assessment and management

Gastrointestinal stomas

• Formation and management of stomas
  • Gastrostomy
  • Ileostomy
  • Colostomy

Upper gastrointestinal surgery

• Diagnosis of oesophageal disorders
• Specific oesophageal disorders
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux
  • Achalasia
  • Oesophageal carcinoma
  • Oesophageal perforation
• Peptic ulcer disease
• Gastric volvulus
• Carcinoma of the stomach
• Coeliac disease

Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery

• Jaundice
• Gallstones and gallbladder disease
• Acute pancreatitis
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Carcinoma of the pancreas
• Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours
• Benign and malignant biliary strictures
  • Cholangiocarcinoma
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Liver metastases
• Portal hypertension
• Ascites
• Pyogenic liver abscess
• Amoebic liver abscess
• Hydatid disease

Colorectal surgery

Surgical disorders of the colon and rectum

• Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease
• Colonic polyps
• Colorectal cancer
• Pseudomyxoma peritonei
• Diverticular disease
• Faecal incontinence
• Rectal prolapse

Surgical disorders of the anus and perineum

• Pruritus ani
• Fissure-in-ano
• Haemorrhoids
• Anorectal sepsis
• Carcinoma of the anus
• Pilonidal sinus and abscess

Breast and endocrine surgery

Common breast disorders

• Assessment of breast disease
• Breast imaging
• Benign breast disease
• Breast lumps
• Breast pain
• Breast sepsis
• Breast cysts
• Nipple discharge
• Gynaecomastia

Breast carcinoma

• Risk factor, pathology, diagnosis, treatment
• Breast reconstruction
• Breast cancer genetics

Surgery of the thyroid gland

• Indications for thyroid surgery
• Thyroglossal cysts
• Thyrotoxicosis
• Thyroiditis
• Goitre
• Thyroid nodules
• Thyroid cancer
• Complications of thyroidectomy

Parathyroid disorders

• Calcium metabolism and presentation of hypercalcaemia
• Investigation and management of hyperparathyroidism
• Multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes

Adrenal disorders and secondary hypertension

• Cushing's syndrome
• Causes of hypertension
• Conn's syndrome
• Phaeochromocytoma
• Adrenal incidentalomas

Endocrine disorders of the pancreas

• Insulinoma
• Gastrinoma
• Carcinoid

Vascular surgery

Arterial surgery

• Assessment of arterial disease
• Aneurysms
• Aortic dissection
• Peripheral vascular disease and limb ischaemia
• Arterial embolism and acute limb ischaemia
• Diabetic foot
• Amputations
• Carotid disease
• Renovascular disease
• Arterial trauma
• Raynaud's disease

Venous disorders of the lower limb

• Varicose veins
• Venous ulceration
• Deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism

Lymphoedema

• Lymphoedema
• Lymphadenopathy
• Hodgkin's disease
• Splenomegaly

Organ transplantation

• Basic principles of transplant immunology
• Clinical organ transplantation
• Organ donation and procurement
• Immunosuppression and prevention of rejection

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