ACCORDING TO DEGREE OF RISK
- Major – High degree of risk. May be complicated /prolonged, large losses of blood may occur, vital organs be involved, post-op complications may be likely.
- Minor – Involves minimal alteration in body parts. Involves minimal risk compared with major procedures e.g. debridement, suturing, excision of mass..
ACCORDING TO PURPOSE
- Elective: Performed on the basis of client’s choice. May not be necessary for health
- Urgent: Necessary for client’s health, may prevent additional problem from developing e.g. tissue destruction. Not necessarily emergency.
- Emergent: must be done immediately to save life or preserve function of body part.
- Required: Has to be performed at some point. It can be pre-scheduled.
- Diagnostic: To confirm diagnosis
- Corrective: Excision or removal of diseased part.
- Reconstructive: Restore function or appearance to traumatized or malfunctioning tissues.
- Procurement for transplant: Removal of organ or tissue from a person pronounced brain dead for transplantation into another person.
- Constructive: Restores function lost or reduced as a result of congenital anomalies.
- Cosmetic: Performed to improve personal appearance.
EXTENT OF SURGERY
- Simple: Only the mostly affected areas are involved in surgery.
- Radical: Extensive surgery beyond the area obviously involved. Directed at finding a root cause.
LOCATION
- Based on the body area on which the surgery occurs e.g abdominal surgery