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What is the Difference Between a Surgery and a Procedure?

F. Ruiz
F. Ruiz

While the terms “surgery” and “procedure” are often used interchangeably in everyday speech, they do not actually mean the same thing. The key difference between a surgery and a procedure is the need for an incision. Making an incision, or cutting into the skin to gain access to the body’s deeper tissues or organs, is a defining characteristic of surgery. If a medical outcome is reached without making a break to the skin, then surgery has not usually been performed.

Confusion often arises concerning the difference between a surgery and a procedure because the two are closely related. Technically speaking, a surgery is a specific type of procedure. A procedure is a broad general term that refers to any series of pre-defined steps that should be followed to achieve a desired result. Therefore, a “surgical procedure” is synonymous with a “surgery.” For the sake of clarity, procedures that do not fall under the classification of surgery are sometimes referred to as “non-surgical procedures.”

Recovery times may be longer for people who have undergone surgery as opposed to a procedure.
Recovery times may be longer for people who have undergone surgery as opposed to a procedure.

While the technical definitions continue to hold true for the most part, the traditional lines separating a surgery and a procedure are beginning to blur somewhat in the face of continuing technological advances. With developments in modern surgical tools, smaller and smaller incisions are needed for many surgeries. Minimally invasive surgeries done with laparoscopes, for instance, call for much smaller incisions than their more invasive alternatives. Smaller incisions lead to faster recovery times and also decrease the risk of infection. These changes require many people to readjust their mental concepts surrounding what a surgery and a procedure are; some might expect surgeries to have longer recovery times than procedures, but that assumption is not always correct.

Surgeries involve using tools to cut through the skin and into the body.
Surgeries involve using tools to cut through the skin and into the body.

With the advent of new technologies such as lasers, the definition of “cutting” has also expanded. In the past, cutting could only be achieved with traditional surgical instruments such as scalpels. Today, lasers can perform many of the same functions. As a general rule, when lasers are used in a similar manner to standard surgical instruments, any such uses are considered surgical ones. So, LASIK eye surgery, in which a laser is used to cut into eye tissue, qualifies as surgery.

A scalpel is a small, sharp knife that is used for performing surgeries.
A scalpel is a small, sharp knife that is used for performing surgeries.

In contrast, non-invasive laser treatments are often, but not always, viewed as surgery. One example is laser resurfacing, in which a laser is used to remove upper layers of the skin. While no major incisions are made and the lasers don’t penetrate deep into the body, several characteristics of laser resurfacing lead many professionals to classify it as surgery anyway. These characteristics include the types of lasers involved, the use of anesthesia, and the surface area covered.

Discussion Comments

goldenmist

I'm one of those people that makes the mistake of using "surgery" and "procedure" interchangeably in everyday speech. Thanks for the clarification.

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    • Recovery times may be longer for people who have undergone surgery as opposed to a procedure.
      By: Monkey Business
      Recovery times may be longer for people who have undergone surgery as opposed to a procedure.
    • Surgeries involve using tools to cut through the skin and into the body.
      By: Gennadiy Poznyakov
      Surgeries involve using tools to cut through the skin and into the body.
    • A scalpel is a small, sharp knife that is used for performing surgeries.
      By: iofoto
      A scalpel is a small, sharp knife that is used for performing surgeries.
    • Surgery requires making an incision to reach deeper tissue.
      By: Alex Tihonov
      Surgery requires making an incision to reach deeper tissue.
    • LASIK eye surgery qualifies as surgery because a laser is used to cut into tissue.
      By: Monkey Business
      LASIK eye surgery qualifies as surgery because a laser is used to cut into tissue.
    • With the advent of new technologies such as lasers, the definition of “cutting” has expanded.
      By: mkrberlin
      With the advent of new technologies such as lasers, the definition of “cutting” has expanded.
    • Surgeries require an incision to be made, while procedures do not.
      By: WavebreakmediaMicro
      Surgeries require an incision to be made, while procedures do not.