The Service of General Surgery at the Mersin University School of Medicine was established in August 1998 and the first research assistant administration to our residency program was carried out  in April 1999.  In the following years, with the growing experience and specialization it was decided to undergo a sectioning as hepato-pancreatobiliary, colorectal and breast/endocrine units. In addition to these units, the Service of General Surgery has Gastroenterological Surgery and Oncologic Surgery Services as well as a Liver Transplantation Center as a part of the Tissue Transplantation Center.

As of January 2016, the residency programs on General Surgery, Gastroenterological Surgery and Oncologic Surgery are provided by an academic staff of 5 professors and 3 associate professors.

The inpatient care on the General Surgery unit is offered by 42 inpatient unit beds and 19 hi-tech equipped intensive care unit beds. We aim to bring the best care possible to our patients.

Outpatient unit accepts -on a daily basis and without appointment obligation- patients on hepato-pancreatobiliary, colorectal and breast/endocrine polyclinics. Depending on the section, polyclinics are equipped with necessary and up-to-date technological devices to provide best care on our patients (Anal manometry, Infrared Photocoagulation, Band Ligator for Hemorrhoids, Sclerotherapy, Anal ultrasound, Rectoscope and Anoscope on Colorectal polyclinic and Portable Ultrasound on Hepato-pancreatobiliary polyclinic)

Self-breast exam education is given on Brest/Endocrine polyclinic.

Surgical operations are realized in the modern operating theater of the University Hospital. Daily, two operating rooms equipped for state-of-the-art surgical practice and a Liver Transplantation room are used for General Surgical operations and for potential liver transplantations.  Gamma probe,  nerve monitoring device, ultrasonic cautery devices, CUSA, vessel sealing devices, Argon laser, conventional and state-of-the-art laparoscopic equipment are ready to use if needed.

In the Hepato-pancreatobiliary surgery unit operations for benign and cancerous diseases of the esophagus, for benign or malignant diseases of the stomach, interventions for parasitic liver cysts (hydatid cyst), liver cancers and other liver tumors, open and laparoscopic procedures for simple and complicated gallstone diseases and gallbladder Cancer, operations for pancreas cancer and its chronic inflammation are performed by the academic staff specialized on these fields. Similarly, laparoscopic operations for obesity are performed since 2015.

Operations for benign and malignant diseases of the small and large intestines, surgical procedures in cases of  ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, simple or complicated anal fistula and fissures, anal abscess, open procedures or stapler procedures for hemorrhoids, surgical procedures for constipation, anal incontinence (stool incontinence) and for simple/complicated pilonidal disease are successfully performed in in Colorectal surgery unit.

In the Breast/Endocrine surgery unit all up to date procedures for breast cancer such as simultaneous breast reconstruction after removal of the breast with cancerous tissue, search for the sentinel Lymph node in armpit by mapping the lymph flow either by radioactive substances or bleu dye, breast conserving surgery, or if necessary mastectomy (removal of the whole breast), as well as procedures for benign diseases of the breast are performed. Thyroidectomies (Removal of the thyroid gland) for nodular diseases of thyroid, goiter, and toxic (hyperactive) goiter and for thyroid cancer and cervical lymph node dissections, as well as operations for benign and malignant diseases of the parathyroid and surrenal (adrenal) glands are also among the surgical procedures of the endocrine unit.

Hernias of various localizations (groin, umbilicus, former incisions) are successfully repaired either by open or laparoscopic approach. Soft tissue tumors, abscess drainage, lymph node excisions, splenectomies (removal of spleen) are routinely performed. Other than hernias, surgery for reflux disease, gastric and bariatric surgery, cholecystectomies (removal of the gall bladder), removal of the surrenal gland, surgery for small and large intestine and rectum and spleen are performed by laparoscopic approach.