Chief: Riccardo Rosati

The main clinical and scientific field of interest of the Department of General and Minimally Invasive Surgery is represented by diseases of the digestive tract. Optimization of the clinical pathway from diagnosis to therapy, in line with the most advanced international clinical protocols, with maximal interaction with other specialities is the main goal of this Surgical Unit.

Malignant and benign diseases of the oesophagus, stomach, liver, biliary tract, pancreas, and colon-rectum are treated either by traditional surgery and by minimally invasive approach (laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery). The Surgical Unit, chaired by Prof. Rosati, is a high volume unit for the treatment of esophago-gastric diseases. The most advanced surgical, minimally invasive and endoscopic techniques are used in cooperation with the Unit of Digestive Endoscopy. Multidisciplinary meetings are routinely performed to discuss the clinical management of patients with diseases of the Gastrointestinal tract. National and international clinical research protocols are also developed within the Unit.

Benign and malignant diseases of the large bowel (colon and rectum) are treated with traditional and minimally invasive techniques, in line with the most advanced national and international clinical protocols and guidelines.

Day Surgery activity includes protocols of fast track surgery for gallstones and for inguinal and ventral hernia repair. A clinical protocol for short hospital stay is also dedicated to patients with proctologic disorders.

Bariatric surgery is performed as well, within a multidisciplinary program for the treatment of morbid obesity coordinated by the Unit of Endocrinology and Diabetology.

An educational activity involves the staff surgeons of this Unit who organize courses of minimally invasive surgery of the upper and lower digestive tract.

Within the Unit of General and Minimally Invasive Surgery there is a section for Trauma and Emergency Surgery, which is devoted to the development of clinical protocols for the management of surgical emergencies in the hospital.

Since last October CURE (University Center for Research and care of Esophagogastric diseases) has been constituted in the University of Milan as a part of the Department of General and Minimally Invasive Surgery. A team of national and international experts in the esophageal and gastric diseases participate in CURE to promote clinical, scientific, and informative activities. CURE has a website at http://www.centrocure.org .