Gastro-Intestinal Surgery Home A-Z Health Information Health Library A-Z Gastro-Intestinal Surgery Overview Gastrointestinal surgery is performed for various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which involves the liver, pancreas, gall bladder, stomach, and small and large intestines. The operation can be done through the conventional open method (through a cut or incision on the abdomen) or through any of the minimally invasive methods, which include either the laparoscopic method or robotic surgery. Indications Cancer of the stomach – removal of parts of the stomach for cancer and neuroendocrine tumoursCancer and tumours of the small intestineLarge intestine cancer and large polyps – colon cancerRectal cancerInflammatory bowel diseaseSurgery on the gall bladder for cancer and gall stones, which includes removal of the gall bladder for stone – laparoscopic cholecystectomySurgery on the pancreas for cancer and pancreatitis. The most common reason for pancreas surgery is due to cancer, when a variable portion of the pancreas is removed either through Whipple’s procedure or distal pancreatectomy depending on the location of the tumour.Surgery on the liver – hepatectomy, which involves removal of part of the liver affected with cancer. Cancer might arise in the liver – hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) or cancer that has spread to the liver from elsewhere through liver metastasesSurgery for large tumours in the abdomen – neuroendocrine tumours/retroperitoneal tumours and massesSurgery for miscellaneous abdominal conditions – acute abdomen, including perforation/obstruction and infections.