Elective surgery

Elective surgery

Elective surgery is surgery that is not urgently required due to an emergency. Elective surgery may be performed for medical purposes, such as cataract surgery, or for other work such as breast implants. These are procedures that the person requiring them decides to undertake, and which may be helpful, but are not necessarily essential.

However, the term is not without definition problems. Some countries or health systems for example consider hip replacements as elective surgery, because a bad hip is not life-threatening, even though it may effectively cripple the patient.


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  • elective surgery — e*lect ive sur ger*y, n. surgery that is not essential, especially surgery to correct a condition that is not life threatening; surgery that is not required for survival. See also {cosmetic surgery}. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Elective surgery — Surgery that is subject to choice (election). The choice may be made by the patient or doctor. For example, the time when a surgical procedure is performed may be elective. The procedure is beneficial to the patient but does not need be done at a …   Medical dictionary

  • Elective caesarean section — (AE elective cesarean section) refers to a cesarean section (CS) that is performed on a pregnant woman on the basis of an obstetrical or medical indication or at the request of the pregnant patient. [1] cite journal | author = NIH | title = State …   Wikipedia

  • elective — elec·tive adj 1 a: chosen by popular election an elective official b: of or relating to election c: based on the right or principle of election the presidency is an elective office 2 a: permitting a choice compare …   Law dictionary

  • Surgery — This article is about the medical specialty. For other uses, see Surgery (disambiguation). A cardiothoracic surgeon performs a mitral valve replacement at the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. Surgery (from the Greek …   Wikipedia

  • surgery — noun 1 medical treatment ADJECTIVE ▪ major, radical ▪ minor ▪ extensive ▪ further ▪ successful …   Collocations dictionary

  • elective — [[t]ɪle̱ktɪv[/t]] electives 1) ADJ: usu ADJ n An elective post or committee is one to which people are appointed as a result of winning an election. [FORMAL] Buchanan has never held elective office. 2) ADJ: usu ADJ n Elective surgery is surgery… …   English dictionary

  • elective — I. adjective Date: circa 1531 1. a. chosen or filled by popular election < an elective official > b. of or relating to election c. based on the right or principle of election < the presidency is an elective office > 2. a. permitting a choice …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • elective — e|lec|tive1 [ıˈlektıv] adj formal 1.) an elective position or organization is one for which there is an election ▪ the 34 elective seats in the National Assembly 2.) elective medical treatment is treatment that you choose to have, although you do …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • elective — electively, adv. electiveness, n. /i lek tiv/, adj. 1. pertaining to the principle of electing to an office, position, etc. 2. chosen by election, as an official. 3. bestowed by or derived from election, as an office. 4. having the power or right …   Universalium

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