General surgery can be performed on almost any area of the body. A general surgeon is a physician who performs surgery and provides preoperative, operative, and postoperative care to surgical patients. This surgeon can treat diseases, injuries or deformities by surgery or minimally invasive techniques, such as endoscopy, where a tiny scope is used to view internal organs or structures. The endoscope can be used during operating procedures, or before surgery, to diagnose, assess and treat problem areas.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are breast disease, thyroid disorders, hernia, breast cancer, Crohn's Disease, cystic fibrosis, Cirrhosis, Hepatitis, lymphoma, Chronic renal failure, Morbid obesity, Adhesions, Colorectal cancer, Hirschsprung's disease, Volvulus, Thyroid cancer, Kidney cancer, Metastatic disease, Toxic megacolon, and Meckel's diverticulum.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including microsurgery, mastectomy, laser surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, breast reconstruction, breast surgery, thyroid surgery, Laparoscopic Surgery, da Vinci Surgical System, Bypass Surgery, robotic surgery, Resection, Liver transplant, Whipple procedure, Kidney transplant, Bariatric surgery, Appendectomy, Cholecystectomy, cryosurgery, and abdominal surgery.

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including endoscopy, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), x-ray, Computed Axial Tomography (CT or CAT Scan), Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), biopsy, Cardiac Stress Test, Lower GI (Barium Enema), Upper GI (Barium Swallow), and fecal occult bloodtest.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Delaware has 109 practicing general surgeons. Broken out by city, general surgery doctor density in Dover is 12, in Greenville is 2, in Lewes is 7, in Middletown is 2, in Milford is 6, in Millsboro is 1, in Millville is 3, in Newark is 55, in Rehoboth Beach is 1, in Seaford is 3, in Smyrna is 4, and in Wilmington is 42.

Delaware, located on the Atlantic Ocean, was the first state to ratify the constitution of the United States in 1787. Delaware’s population is 843,524, and its capital city is Dover. In Wilmington, visit the Grand Opera House or the Old Town Hall Museum built in 1798, or the Abbott’s Mill Nature Center in Milford. Drive to the Atlantic shore, or go bird-watching, fishing, hiking, biking, or canoeing in Delaware’s extensive park and trail systems. Dover is home to parks, historic museums, clubs, theater and dance, and offers bargain-hunting at tax-free outlet stores and antiques shops.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Delaware has a population of 843,524. Of this population, 189,940 are under the age of 18 and 111,761 are at or above the age of 65.