Minor Surgery

Minor surgery is a standard procedure that can be performed on patients of almost any age. It typically involves an incision to remove the diseased or damaged tissue, then suturing the closed wound.

The word “minor” doesn’t really do justice to invasive surgery, but it’s important to know that different types of surgeries are classified as minor.

Skin Biopsy

A Skin biopsy is a procedure in which doctors take samples of the patient’s skin to test if a lesion appears unusual or suspicious. A small part of the lesion (2-3mm in diameter) will be removed under local anaesthetic for study by a pathologist to help make the diagnosis. This sample may help your doctor diagnose diseases like cancer, infection, or other disorders that affect your skin.

The majority of biopsies don’t require stitches and are covered by a band-aid or dressing. 

Skin Biopsy at The Ridge Medical Centre

Biopsies are a routine procedure for doctors, and at the clinic, we have an exceptional team of qualified technicians to perform any type. The preparation will vary based on the type of biopsy being performed; a skin or muscle biopsy usually doesn’t require modification in the diet, but open procedures requiring general anesthesia may ask you not to eat anything beforehand so that they can insert a tube down your throat while asleep under sedation.

Please let your doctor know in advance about any allergies, previous surgeries, or medications you are taking. Women should inform their doctors if there is a possibility of pregnancy.

FAQ's About Biopsies & Minor Surgeries

A Needle biopsy is a minimally invasive procedure that typically has no risks. However, it can come with specific side effects, including infection and bleeding at the incision site. These complications are rare but may occur if proper precautions aren’t taken during the process or if early signs of these problems go untreated after surgery.

There can be some risks implicated in different types of biopsies, including:

  • Excessive bleeding (haemorrhage)
  • Infection
  • Puncture damage to nearby tissue or organs
  • Skin numbness around the biopsy site.
  • pooling of blood trapped inside the biopsy area

Surgical biopsy has some additional risks versus needle biopsy:

  • Surgical biopsies require sutures (stitches) and can leave a disfiguring scar, depending on the size of the excision.
  • Surgical biopsy has a small risk of bleeding, infection, or wound healing problems.
  • The surgical biopsy usually requires one day of recuperation at home.

A biopsy may require some preparation on the part of the patient, such a clear liquid diet, or simply no oral intake. Before the procedure, your doctor will provide you with instructions.

Before undergoing a medical procedure, be sure your doctor knows what medicines and supplements you take. You may need to stop taking certain drugs before a biopsy, such as aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications.

The process of excision includes removing the entire suspicious lesion or skin cancer. During the procedure, the doctor will administer a local anesthetic to ensure safety. A pathologist will examine the lesion that was removed.

A doctor will stitch up the wound after the lesion is removed, and then a dressing will be applied. Depending on the area treated, you will need to return to the clinic to remove the stitches in a week or two. Additionally, our doctors and nurses provide high-quality wound care for simple and complex wounds.

Cysts are sac-like structures that can contain fluid or semi-solid material. A sebaceous cyst is a benign (noncancerous) skin growth that develops in most areas around the face, neck, and trunk. They are generally harmless, but it is a quick and straightforward process if you are in discomfort or want to remove one.

When a skin cyst needs to be removed, it is done under local anesthesia by your doctor. Aseptic precautions are taken so there’s no chance of infection during the procedure, and care is taken not to rupture the cysts while they’re being handled with forceps. Your doctor makes a superficial incision where you can feel that annoying bump on your forehead or behind one ear. The cyst is isolated by cutting the attached tissue to mobilise and remove it. Your doctor may suture the skin if the cyst is large and would leave a significant blemish.

But don’t worry! You won’t even know this was happening when we put you out for surgery. We do everything necessary to keep things as painless as possible without cutting near sensitive areas like the eyes or mouth.

The removed cyst is sent to the laboratory for examination. As with all surgical procedures, cyst excision may be associated with certain complications, including bleeding, infection, nerve damage, scarring, pain, inflammation, and possible regrowth.

If left untreated, a cyst can continue to grow and sometimes cause the lining of the tissue to rupture. This will create swelling in nearby tissues and overlapped skin, creating an uncomfortable condition often mistaken for infection due to its resemblance to redness or pimples.

A cyst is not dangerous, but it makes you feel uncomfortable if it is infected, and it makes you look bad as it grows.

Cyst removal is a minor surgery that poses risks, such as scarring. There’s also the case where an un-extracted remnant of the cyst wall becomes buried in nearby tissue, leading to the recurrence of the cysts.

We offer a wide range of minor surgery procedures. These include (but are not limited to):

  • Suturing wounds and lacerations
  • Removal of sutures from wounds
  • Removal of warts, cysts, moles and skin tags
  • Removal of skin lesions
  • Collection of lesion samples for pathology identification
  • Skin cancer diagnosis and excisions
  • Treatment of abscesses
  • Treatment of ulcers
  • Treatment of overgrown toenails
  • Injections
  • Immunisation

For serious injuries and illness,

call an ambulance on triple zero (000) or visit your nearest hospital emergency department.

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