There are different types of surgery and surgeries can be classified according to surgical emergency. The terms used by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) to classify types of surgery were emergency, urgent, scheduled and elective. Elective surgery doesn't always mean it's optional. It simply means that surgery can be scheduled in advance.
This may be a surgery you choose to have a better quality of life, but not to treat a life-threatening condition. However, in some cases it can be due to a serious condition, such as cancer. Examples of elective surgery include removing a mole or wart and removing kidney stones. It can also be done if other forms of treatment aren't working.
Open surgery is the most common type of surgery and is characterized by staples or stitches used to close the incision.
