General Surgery
On this page:
Health professionals can access our Referrals
General Surgery provides assessment, diagnosis and surgical management of conditions affecting the abdomen, skin and soft tissues, breast, and some endocrine organs. Our General Surgery service cares for patients with both simple and complex surgical needs and offers planned (elective) and emergency care for patients.
We care for and treat people with:
- Breast conditions — suspected or confirmed cancer, breast lumps, inherited risk advice, breast reduction
- Gallbladder and biliary conditions — gallstones, polyps, cholecystectomy
- Hernias — inguinal, femoral, umbilical/para umbilical, incisional, recurrent
- Colorectal and anal conditions — haemorrhoids, fissures, fistula, rectal bleeding, rectal prolapse, faecal incontinence
- Skin and soft tissue lesions — cysts, lipomas, ganglia, minor skin cancers, pilonidal sinus, perianal lumps
- Upper and lower GI conditions — gastroscopy, hiatus hernia, diagnostic laparoscopy, small and large bowel disease (including minimally invasive and perianal procedures)
- Endocrine conditions — thyroid and parathyroid assessment (non operative)
- HPB (hepatic, pancreatic, biliary) assessment
- Suspected colorectal cancer
- Hand and foot conditions — carpal tunnel (with nerve studies), Dupuytren’s contracture, ingrown toenails
- Vasectom
- Metabolic (weight reduction) surgery.
Exclusions
The following conditions/procedures are not routinely seen at Bayside Health - Regional (Bass Coast):
- Major endocrine surgery — thyroidectomy, parathyroidectomy, adrenal surgery
- Complex colorectal and anal surgery — malignant anal/rectal disease, complex fistula repair, trans anal endoscopic microsurgery
- Major upper GI surgery — oesophagogastric surgery, radical gastric cancer surgery
- HPB major surgery — liver resection, pancreatic surgery, malignant biliary/pancreatic disease
- Head and neck surgery — malignant salivary gland disease, neck dissection, reconstructive surgery, tongue surgery, sarcoma
- Advanced endoscopy — ERCP, EUS, dilatation, resectional procedures, capsule endoscopy
- Vascular surgery — varicose veins
- Specialist procedures — pelvic pouch surgery, peritonectomy, aerodigestive tract disease, benign biliary stricture
- Other exclusions — erectile dysfunction surgery, transvaginal mesh surgery, rectus abdominis/divarication repair, tonsil surgery, complex hand/foot/ankle soft tissue surgery.
How to access this service
Referral to this service can be made by your general practitioner (GP), another medical specialist or a healthcare professional, as well as hospital-based staff in the emergency department, inpatient wards and other areas of the hospital.
More information for health practitioners and referrers is available here:
General Surgery Referral Guide
DocumentReferral Form: MR-309 Outpatient specialist clinic referral
Clinically recommended guidance and resources for Health Professionals in the Gippsland region are available through Gippsland Pathways.
What to bring to your appointment
Medicare card
Health Care Card and/or concession card (if you have one)
Private health insurance card (if applicable/if you want to use it)
Adverse drug alert card (if you have one)
Previous X-ray films, scans, ultrasounds or any other test results or reports
Medicines you need to take while you are here
List of medicines you are currently taking (or the boxes), including medicines you have bought without a prescription, such as herbal supplements and vitamins
Glasses, hearing aid(s) and/or walking frame if needed.
