Minor surgeries are vastly different from major surgeries (or regular surgeries). Minor surgeries are those that can be done in an office setting, clinic, or ambulatory treatment unit. They are also very short procedures that only take up to an hour to complete, and only require either a local anesthetic (topical numbing) or no anesthetic at all. They are performed by doctors (usually) in a safe way, and generally pose no threat to a person's life or body. Major surgeries include exposing a body cavity (through a surgical incision), while minor surgeries do not penetrate or expose body cavities. Examples of minor surgeries include: removal of moles, freezing off (vaporizing) warts, and tattoo removal. Examples of major surgeries include: organ transplants, open heart surgery, craniotomies, and knee replacements.
