MS · General Surgery

General Surgery thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for each

Almost every general surgery thesis is built out of the emergency theatre register and the elective operating list, which means your sample accrues at the speed your unit actually operates. The commonest failure is a design that needs follow-up at six months in a population that does not return after suture removal, so decide early whether your primary outcome is measured before discharge or needs a clinic visit. Examiners press hardest on how the comparison arms were allocated, on who assessed the outcome, and on whether wound outcomes were scored against a stated definition rather than the operating surgeon's impression.

Topic register · 46 entries · 8 designs^[6]

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NMC PGMER-2023
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UGC 2018 · under 10%
ICMR 2017 · ethics

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Filter by design or by feasibility, or search the titles and outcomes. Filtering only hides entries: every topic stays on the page, so nothing is lost if you clear the filters or arrive by a deep link.

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Study design

Feasibility in a teaching unit

Any46Straightforward27Moderate17Demanding2

Showing 46 of 46 topics

The sample figure on each plate is a planning range read off the design, not a calculated answer. Your own number comes from a calculation against your own assumptions — the difference you would call clinically meaningful, the variability in your setting, the power you want — and it belongs in the synopsis with those assumptions written beside it.

Topic 01 / 46
Link to this entry
Comparison of the Alvarado and RIPASA scores against histopathology in patients operated for suspected acute appendicitis
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of each score against the histopathological diagnosis of appendicitis
Collection time
10–12 months of consecutive emergency admissions
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 130–180 suspected cases, governed by the expected sensitivity and the proportion found to have appendicitis, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a steady emergency surgical intake of suspected appendicitis
- histopathology reporting of every appendicectomy specimen
- a scoring proforma completed before the decision to operate
What derails it
Both scores must be recorded before the surgeon decides to operate; if the resident fills the proforma after the theatre list is made, the score has been contaminated by the decision it is meant to predict and the whole dataset is unusable.
Topic 02 / 46
Link to this entry
Adult Appendicitis Score as a triage tool for admission and observation in right iliac fossa pain
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion correctly assigned to low, intermediate and high probability groups, judged against final diagnosis at discharge
Collection time
9–12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150–200 consecutive patients presenting with right iliac fossa pain, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- emergency department access to patients before surgical referral
- total leucocyte count and CRP available round the clock
- a follow-up mechanism for patients discharged without operation
What derails it
The score needs CRP, and in many units CRP is sent only when the consultant asks for it, so a quarter of your proformas end up with that single field blank and have to be excluded.
Topic 03 / 46
Link to this entry
Histologically negative appendicectomy in a teaching unit: frequency and associated clinical features
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion of appendicectomy specimens reported as normal, and the clinical and laboratory features associated with them
Collection time
3–4 months of record retrieval for a three-year period
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 300–500 archived appendicectomies, limited by what the period contains rather than by calculation
What your unit must already have
- theatre and histopathology registers covering at least three years
- case sheets retrievable by operation code
- an ethics committee waiver of consent for record review
What derails it
Histopathology reports from different pathologists describe normal appendices in different language, so agree a single written definition of a negative specimen with the pathology department before abstraction or your numerator keeps moving.
Topic 04 / 46
Link to this entry
Antibiotic-first management compared with early appendicectomy in radiologically uncomplicated acute appendicitis
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Treatment success at one month, defined as resolution without appendicectomy in the antibiotic arm
Collection time
12–15 months of enrolment with one month of follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 50–70 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- ultrasound or CT to exclude perforation and appendicolith before allocation
- consultant agreement that non-operative management is offered in the unit
- a telephone follow-up system for the first month
What derails it
Consent is the bottleneck — patients who have been told they have appendicitis usually want it removed, and if the surgeon on call also prefers to operate, recruitment into the antibiotic arm stalls at a handful of patients.
Topic 05 / 46
Link to this entry
Outcome of conservative management of appendicular lump with planned interval appendicectomy
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion resolving on conservative management without emergency surgery, and complications at interval appendicectomy
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40–60 patients, depending on how often lumps present in your unit, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- serial clinical and ultrasound assessment of the lump
- inpatient beds for an initial period of observation
- an elective list that can accommodate interval cases at six to eight weeks
What derails it
A third of patients feel well after discharge and never come back for the interval appendicectomy, so your outcome at eight weeks must be defined so that a non-attender is still classified rather than lost.
Topic 06 / 46
Link to this entry
Laparoscopic compared with open appendicectomy in acute appendicitis: postoperative pain, wound complications and hospital stay
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Visual analogue pain score at 24 hours and length of postoperative hospital stay
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 45–65 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a functioning laparoscopic set available for emergency lists
- surgeons who do emergency laparoscopy routinely, not occasionally
- a standard analgesia protocol applied to both arms
What derails it
Laparoscopy in most units happens on the day a particular consultant is on call, so allocation follows the duty roster and the arms differ in who operated as much as in how — state this openly and match for operator grade or the comparison will be attacked.
Topic 07 / 46
Link to this entry
Lichtenstein mesh hernioplasty compared with Desarda no-mesh repair in primary inguinal hernia
DesignRandomised controlledFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Pain on a visual analogue scale at one month and time to return to routine activity
Collection time
12–15 months of enrolment with three months of follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40–60 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- an elective hernia list with reliable weekly numbers
- surgeons trained in the Desarda technique
- CTRI registration before the first patient is enrolled
What derails it
Return to routine activity means something different to a farmer and to a bank clerk, so define it as a written milestone at enrolment and record occupation, otherwise the difference you measure is occupational rather than surgical.
Topic 08 / 46
Link to this entry
Totally extraperitoneal compared with transabdominal preperitoneal repair in inguinal hernia: operative time and early complications
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Operative time and the rate of seroma, port-site complications and conversion within one month
Collection time
15–18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30–45 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a unit doing laparoscopic hernia repair as routine practice
- at least two surgeons comfortable with both approaches
- theatre records that capture operative time accurately
What derails it
Most units favour one of the two approaches, so the second arm fills at a trickle; confirm from last year's theatre register that both were done at least twice a month before committing to this.
Topic 09 / 46
Link to this entry
Chronic groin pain six months after open mesh hernioplasty and its preoperative predictors
DesignCohortFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Presence of groin pain at six months graded on a visual analogue scale
Collection time
12 months of enrolment with six months of follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 90–130 patients allowing for attrition, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- an elective hernia list with consistent numbers
- a documented preoperative pain and sensation assessment
- a follow-up clinic with telephone recall at six months
What derails it
Six-month follow-up is where this study dies; patients who are comfortable are the least likely to attend, which loads your sample with the symptomatic and inflates the very outcome you are measuring.
Topic 10 / 46
Link to this entry
Onlay compared with sublay mesh placement in elective incisional hernia repair
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Seroma formation and surgical site occurrence within 30 days
Collection time
15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 35–50 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a regular load of elective incisional hernia cases
- suction drain management recorded on a standard chart
- ultrasound access for confirming clinically suspected seroma
What derails it
Seroma is diagnosed inconsistently unless you define it by a stated volume on ultrasound at a fixed postoperative day; counting only seromas that needed aspiration measures the surgeon's aspiration habit, not the repair.
Topic 11 / 46
Link to this entry
Factors associated with incisional hernia after emergency midline laparotomy: a case-control comparison
DesignCase-controlFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Association of wound infection, body mass index, anaemia and closure technique with the presence of incisional hernia
Collection time
6–8 months of record review and clinic recall
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 50–70 cases with one or two controls each, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a traceable register of emergency laparotomies from two to four years earlier
- operative notes that record the closure material and technique
- an ethics waiver for record review plus consent for examining recalled patients
What derails it
Controls must come from the same laparotomy cohort and be examined for an occult hernia, because picking controls from people who simply never returned guarantees you have misclassified some of them as hernia-free.
Topic 12 / 46
Link to this entry
Cyanoacrylate glue compared with polypropylene suture for mesh fixation in Lichtenstein hernioplasty
DesignRandomised controlledFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Early postoperative pain on a visual analogue scale at 48 hours and at one month
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 35–50 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a reliable supply of surgical glue for the whole study period
- an assessor recording pain who did not operate
- CTRI registration before enrolment
What derails it
Glue is bought in small quantities and runs out mid-study in most units, and a two-month gap in supply leaves you with arms recruited in different seasons and different residents operating — secure the full quantity in writing first.
Topic 13 / 46
Link to this entry
Negative pressure wound therapy compared with conventional moist dressing in diabetic foot ulcers
DesignRandomised controlledFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Percentage reduction in wound surface area at four weeks measured by planimetry on standardised photographs
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30–45 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- working negative pressure units and consumables for the full period
- a fixed photographic protocol with a scale marker for wound measurement
- glycaemic control and offloading standardised across both arms
What derails it
Consumable cost decides who gets the therapy in real life, so if the patient pays for the canister your allocation quietly becomes economic rather than random — budget the consumables into the protocol or the randomisation collapses.
Topic 14 / 46
Link to this entry
Wagner grade at presentation and subsequent minor or major amputation in diabetic foot ulcer
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Amputation at any level within three months of presentation
Collection time
12 months of enrolment with three months of follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100–140 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a diabetic foot clinic or surgical OPD with consistent referrals
- ankle-brachial index measurement or Doppler access
- a record system that captures amputations done elsewhere on readmission
What derails it
Patients who go home and have a toe amputated at a nursing home count as events but never appear in your register, so build a telephone check at three months into the proforma rather than relying on your own theatre records.
Topic 15 / 46
Link to this entry
Honey dressing compared with povidone-iodine dressing in chronic non-healing lower limb ulcers
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion of ulcer floor covered by healthy granulation tissue at three weeks
Collection time
10–12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30–45 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a dressing room with consistent daily dressing practice
- medical grade honey of a single stated source throughout
- photographic documentation at fixed intervals
What derails it
Granulation assessed by the resident doing the dressing is the soft spot here; have a second observer grade the photographs blind to the dressing, because the honey is visible on the wound and cannot be masked at the bedside.
Topic 16 / 46
Link to this entry
Surgical site infection after elective abdominal surgery: rate, organisms and sensitivity pattern
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Surgical site infection within 30 days, classified by CDC criteria, with the organism isolated
Collection time
12 months of enrolment with 30 day follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200–300 consecutive elective procedures, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- microbiology support for wound swab culture and sensitivity
- agreement to apply CDC wound classification at every dressing
- a 30 day telephone or clinic follow-up for discharged patients
What derails it
Many infections declare themselves only after discharge, towards the end of the first week and into the second, so a study that stops counting at discharge reports a figure about bed occupancy rather than about infection.
Topic 17 / 46
Link to this entry
Skin staples compared with subcuticular monofilament suture for closure of clean elective abdominal incisions
DesignRandomised controlledFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Surgical site infection at 30 days and patient-reported scar satisfaction at three months
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 50–70 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a steady elective clean-case list
- staplers stocked for the full study period
- a blinded observer for wound and scar assessment
What derails it
Wound assessment cannot be blinded while the staples are in place, so schedule the scar assessment after removal and use photographs graded by someone outside the operating team.
Topic 18 / 46
Link to this entry
Nutritional status by Subjective Global Assessment in patients awaiting major elective gastrointestinal surgery
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of Subjective Global Assessment categories, with anthropometry and serum albumin
Collection time
8–10 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200–280 patients attending for preoperative assessment, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a preoperative assessment clinic where patients can be interviewed unhurried
- weighing scale, stadiometer and mid-arm circumference tape
- serum albumin as part of routine preoperative work-up
What derails it
Subjective Global Assessment depends on a reported weight loss over six months, and patients who have never owned a weighing scale cannot give it, so decide in advance how you will handle that field rather than guessing from the clothes.
Topic 19 / 46
Link to this entry
Bethesda-categorised fine needle aspiration cytology against final histopathology in solitary thyroid nodule
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Sensitivity, specificity and rate of malignancy by Bethesda category against the resected specimen
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80–120 operated nodules, governed by the expected proportion malignant, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- cytology reported in Bethesda categories by the pathology department
- a thyroid surgery list with consistent weekly numbers
- ultrasound reporting that records nodule size and character
What derails it
Only operated nodules have a histological reference standard, so the benign categories are systematically under-represented; say so in your limitations and do not present the figures as if every aspirate had been verified.
Topic 20 / 46
Link to this entry
Voice outcome after total thyroidectomy assessed by the Voice Handicap Index-10 and laryngoscopy
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Change in Voice Handicap Index-10 score from before surgery to three months after
Collection time
15 months of enrolment with three months of follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 50–70 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- preoperative and postoperative flexible laryngoscopy, usually via the ENT department
- a translated and pretested Voice Handicap Index-10 in the local language
- a thyroidectomy volume of at least three or four a month
What derails it
The instrument must be administered in the patient's own language and the same version every time; a resident translating the ten items afresh at each visit destroys comparability between the preoperative and postoperative scores.
Topic 21 / 46
Link to this entry
Early postoperative parathyroid hormone and serum calcium as predictors of symptomatic hypocalcaemia after total thyroidectomy
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Symptomatic hypocalcaemia within 72 hours requiring calcium supplementation
Collection time
15–18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60–90 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- parathyroid hormone assay available with a turnaround usable in hours
- serial serum calcium at fixed postoperative time points
- enough total thyroidectomies rather than mainly hemithyroidectomies
What derails it
The parathyroid hormone sample has to be drawn at a fixed hour after surgery, and on a busy evening list that sample is the one that gets missed — name the time point in the proforma and brief the night resident.
Topic 22 / 46
Link to this entry
Drain compared with no drain after hemithyroidectomy for benign thyroid nodule
DesignRandomised controlledFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Postoperative neck collection on ultrasound at 48 hours and length of hospital stay
Collection time
15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30–45 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a thyroid list with a predominance of benign hemithyroidectomies
- bedside or radiology ultrasound at 48 hours
- CTRI registration before enrolment
What derails it
Surgeons place a drain out of habit and will break allocation for a case that bled a little more than usual, so record every protocol deviation as it happens rather than discovering a contaminated no-drain arm at analysis.
Topic 23 / 46
Link to this entry
Triple assessment of the palpable breast lump against histopathology of the excised specimen
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Sensitivity and specificity of combined clinical examination, ultrasound and cytology against histopathology
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100–150 palpable lumps proceeding to histology, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- ultrasound reporting with a stated BIRADS category
- cytology or core biopsy on the same visit
- histopathology on every excised or biopsied lump
What derails it
Young women with a clinically obvious fibroadenoma are often not excised, so if you include only operated lumps your specificity is measured in a population that has already been filtered by the surgeon's suspicion.
Topic 24 / 46
Link to this entry
Flap fixation compared with conventional closure after modified radical mastectomy: seroma formation and drain duration
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Total drain output and number of post-drain-removal seroma aspirations within four weeks
Collection time
15–18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30–45 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a breast cancer operative load of at least three mastectomies a month
- a standard drain removal criterion stated in millilitres per day
- a nursing chart that records daily drain volume reliably
What derails it
Daily drain volume is the primary data and it is recorded by whichever nurse is on duty; if the chart is filled once a shift by estimate, your main variable has been eyeballed and the comparison means nothing.
Topic 25 / 46
Link to this entry
Shoulder morbidity after axillary lymph node dissection assessed by the QuickDASH and goniometry
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
QuickDASH score and shoulder abduction range at three months compared with the preoperative value
Collection time
15 months of enrolment with three months of follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 45–65 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a goniometer and a single trained observer for all measurements
- a translated QuickDASH administered consistently
- physiotherapy advice standardised for every patient
What derails it
Patients start adjuvant chemotherapy between your baseline and three-month visits and their attendance follows the chemotherapy calendar, so align your assessment with an existing oncology visit or half the cohort will be measured weeks late.
Topic 26 / 46
Link to this entry
Clinicopathological profile of breast carcinoma in women under forty treated at a teaching hospital
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of stage, grade and hormone receptor status at presentation
Collection time
4–5 months of record retrieval over a five-year period
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100–200 archived cases, limited by what the period contains
What your unit must already have
- a tumour register or histopathology archive spanning five years
- immunohistochemistry reports available for most cases
- an ethics waiver of consent for record review
What derails it
Receptor status is missing in a substantial share of older files because the test was done outside and the report never came back to the chart, so decide how missing immunohistochemistry will be handled before you start abstraction.
Topic 27 / 46
Link to this entry
Preoperative clinical and ultrasound predictors of conversion from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Conversion to open surgery during the index procedure
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150–220 consecutive laparoscopic cholecystectomies, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a laparoscopic cholecystectomy volume of at least fifteen a month
- ultrasound reports that state gall bladder wall thickness and pericholecystic collection
- theatre records that document the reason for conversion
What derails it
Conversion depends heavily on who is operating, and a unit where the senior consultant converts almost never and a first-year resident converts often will produce a model that is really predicting the surgeon — record operator grade as a variable.
Topic 28 / 46
Link to this entry
Intraoperative difficulty grading at laparoscopic cholecystectomy and its relation to postoperative course
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Operative time, bile spillage and length of stay by intraoperative difficulty grade
Collection time
10–12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120–180 procedures, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a single agreed difficulty grading scale displayed in theatre
- the operating surgeon willing to record the grade at the end of each case
- accurate operative start and finish times
What derails it
The grade must be assigned at the end of the operation and not reconstructed next morning from the notes, because by then the surgeon grades the case by how the patient is doing rather than by what the gall bladder looked like.
Topic 29 / 46
Link to this entry
Early compared with delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute calculous cholecystitis
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Total hospital stay across both admissions, conversion rate and bile duct injury
Collection time
15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 35–50 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- emergency theatre access within 72 hours of admission
- consultant agreement that early surgery is offered in the unit
- a system to capture the second admission in the delayed arm
What derails it
Patients in the delayed arm return with another attack or go elsewhere for surgery, and if you count only those who come back for elective surgery you have quietly removed the failures from the comparison.
Topic 30 / 46
Link to this entry
Incidentally reported gall bladder carcinoma in routine cholecystectomy specimens and its presenting features
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Frequency of malignancy on histopathology among specimens sent as benign disease, with the clinical and operative features noted
Collection time
3–4 months of record review across three to five years
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 800–1500 archived cholecystectomy reports, limited by what the archive holds
What your unit must already have
- a histopathology archive with searchable specimen type
- linked operative notes and ultrasound reports
- an ethics waiver for record review
What derails it
Some units do not send every gall bladder for histology, and that selection is the whole study — establish what proportion of cholecystectomies in your period actually had a specimen reported before you frame the question.
Topic 31 / 46
Link to this entry
Mannheim Peritonitis Index and Boey score as predictors of mortality in perforated peptic ulcer
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
In-hospital mortality, compared between score strata
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80–120 consecutive patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a regular emergency load of peptic perforation
- admission vitals, creatinine and albumin recorded before surgery
- a proforma completed at admission rather than after the outcome
What derails it
The Mannheim index needs the duration of symptoms, which patients report vaguely — fix a rule for converting 'two or three days' into hours before collection begins, and record the interval from onset to surgery as a variable in its own right.
Topic 32 / 46
Link to this entry
Aetiological spectrum and operative outcome of hollow viscus perforation peritonitis
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Site of perforation at laparotomy and 30 day morbidity and mortality
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100–150 consecutive laparotomies for perforation, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- emergency laparotomy volume sufficient for the target
- histopathology of resected bowel margins where taken
- a 30 day outcome check including readmission
What derails it
Typhoid and tuberculous perforation cannot be separated on operative appearance alone, so if you plan to report aetiology you must commit in advance to sending tissue for histology on every small bowel perforation.
Topic 33 / 46
Link to this entry
BISAP score at admission and severity of acute pancreatitis by revised Atlanta criteria
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Development of moderately severe or severe pancreatitis by the revised Atlanta classification
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 90–130 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- serum amylase or lipase and contrast CT available when indicated
- an admission proforma including mental status and pleural effusion on chest radiograph
- follow-through of transfers to medicine or the intensive care unit
What derails it
BISAP needs a chest radiograph within 24 hours for the pleural effusion item, and in many units the film is only taken when the patient deteriorates — that single missing item quietly makes your score non-calculable in the mildest cases.
Topic 34 / 46
Link to this entry
Causes and operative outcome of acute intestinal obstruction in adults
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of causes at operation and in-hospital morbidity and mortality
Collection time
3–4 months of record review across three years
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200–350 archived admissions, limited by what the period contains
What your unit must already have
- admission and theatre registers for three years
- operative notes that state the cause found
- an ethics waiver for record review
What derails it
Patients managed conservatively and discharged are recorded under vague diagnoses and will be missed entirely if you search only the theatre register, which biases your cause distribution towards the operated.
Topic 35 / 46
Link to this entry
Focused assessment with sonography for trauma against contrast-enhanced CT in haemodynamically stable blunt abdominal trauma
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Sensitivity and specificity of sonography for free fluid and solid organ injury against CT as reference
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120–180 patients, governed by the expected sensitivity and the proportion injured, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a trauma intake with CT available round the clock
- residents trained and credentialled to perform the focused scan
- the scan recorded before the CT report is seen
What derails it
The sonography must be done and written down before the CT, and in a busy casualty the patient is often wheeled straight to CT — agree a written pathway with the emergency department or your index test will be recorded after the reference standard.
Topic 36 / 46
Link to this entry
Revised Trauma Score at triage and in-hospital mortality in blunt trauma
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
In-hospital mortality across Revised Trauma Score strata
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 250–400 trauma presentations, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a triage area where respiratory rate, systolic pressure and Glasgow Coma Scale are recorded on arrival
- a register that follows the patient after admission or transfer
- agreement with the emergency department on who records the score
What derails it
Respiratory rate is the field nobody measures in a crowded casualty, and it is one of three components — if it is counted by eye or copied as sixteen for everyone the score loses its discrimination entirely.
Topic 37 / 46
Link to this entry
Stapled haemorrhoidopexy compared with open haemorrhoidectomy in grade three haemorrhoids
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Postoperative pain on a visual analogue scale over the first week and time to return to work
Collection time
15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30–45 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- stapler devices funded for the full study period
- a proctology load of at least four operable cases a month
- a pain diary the patient can complete at home
What derails it
The stapler is expensive and patients who can afford it self-select into that arm, so unless the device cost is covered by the study your two groups differ in income, occupation and how soon they need to be back at work.
Topic 38 / 46
Link to this entry
Magnetic resonance fistulography against operative findings in complex fistula-in-ano
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Agreement of MRI with operative findings on internal opening, tract course and secondary extensions
Collection time
15–18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40–60 operated fistulas, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- MRI access with a pelvic protocol and a radiologist willing to report to a fixed template
- a surgical load of complex and recurrent fistulas
- the operating surgeon recording findings before seeing the MRI report
What derails it
If the surgeon has read the MRI before operating, the operative 'reference standard' is contaminated by the test being evaluated — the operative proforma must be filled by someone who records findings first and reads the report afterwards.
Topic 39 / 46
Link to this entry
Topical diltiazem compared with lateral internal sphincterotomy in chronic anal fissure
DesignRandomised controlledFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Pain relief on a visual analogue scale and fissure healing at six weeks
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 35–50 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a steady OPD load of chronic fissure
- compounded topical diltiazem available throughout
- follow-up at two and six weeks with proctoscopic examination
What derails it
Adherence to a topical applied twice daily for six weeks is poor and unverifiable, so build in a tube-weighing or returned-tube check rather than asking the patient whether they used it.
Topic 40 / 46
Link to this entry
Limberg flap compared with primary midline closure for sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Wound complication and recurrence within six months
Collection time
15–18 months of enrolment with six months of follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 25–40 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- surgeons comfortable with flap reconstruction
- a pilonidal caseload of at least two or three a month
- six-month follow-up with examination of the natal cleft
What derails it
Pilonidal sinus is not a common elective case in most units, so check last year's register for actual numbers; a study needing fifty per arm on a caseload of two a month cannot finish inside a postgraduate window.
Topic 41 / 46
Link to this entry
Venous Clinical Severity Score before and after surgery for primary varicose veins
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Change in Venous Clinical Severity Score at three months from the preoperative value
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 50–70 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- venous duplex ultrasound to confirm the pattern of reflux before surgery
- a single observer scoring all patients
- compression stockings available to every patient postoperatively
What derails it
The score includes an ulcer item and a compression item, and patients who stop wearing stockings because of the heat will shift that component independently of the surgery — record stocking use as a separate variable.
Topic 42 / 46
Link to this entry
Endovenous laser ablation compared with conventional stripping for great saphenous vein incompetence
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Occlusion of the treated segment on duplex ultrasound at three months and time to return to work
Collection time
18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 25–40 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- an endovenous laser platform with consumables for the study period
- duplex ultrasound follow-up by a consistent operator
- a varicose vein caseload the unit can actually supply
What derails it
The laser fibre is a per-case consumable and units ration it to paying patients; unless the department funds it for the study the ablation arm fills only with those who can pay, which also determines how quickly they return to work.
Topic 43 / 46
Link to this entry
Outcome of acute thermal burns by total body surface area and inhalational involvement
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
In-hospital mortality and length of stay by burn surface area band
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100–150 admissions, depending on what the burns unit receives, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a designated burns ward with a consistent admission policy
- surface area charted on a Lund and Browder diagram by a trained assessor
- records that capture death after transfer or discharge against advice
What derails it
Surface area estimated in casualty by the rule of nines and later recharted on a Lund and Browder diagram can differ by enough to move patients between your bands — decide which assessment is the study variable and stick to it.
Topic 44 / 46
Link to this entry
An enhanced recovery protocol compared with conventional perioperative care in elective bowel surgery
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Time to first passage of flatus and length of postoperative hospital stay
Collection time
15–18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30–45 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- anaesthesia department agreement on the analgesia and fluid components
- nursing staff briefed on early mobilisation and early oral feeding
- a defined discharge criterion applied to both arms
What derails it
Length of stay in a government hospital is decided as much by the patient's travel and the ward round day as by recovery, so use a written discharge-readiness criterion as well as the actual discharge date or the protocol will look ineffective.
Topic 45 / 46
Link to this entry
Gall stones detected on abdominal ultrasound performed for unrelated indications in adults
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with gall stones on ultrasound, with age, sex and body mass index recorded
Collection time
6–9 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 400–600 consecutive scans, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- access to the radiology ultrasound log with indication recorded
- radiologists willing to note gall bladder status on every scan
- height and weight measured at the time of the scan
What derails it
People sent for an abdominal ultrasound are not the general population, so describe the source population exactly and resist writing this up as a community figure — the referral indication is the main bias and must be reported.
Topic 46 / 46
Link to this entry
Feasibility and outcome of day-care general surgical procedures in a teaching hospital
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion discharged on the day of surgery without unplanned admission, and readmission within 48 hours
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150–250 procedures, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a defined day-care list with anaesthesia support for early discharge
- written discharge criteria and a telephone review at 48 hours
- patients living within reachable distance of the hospital
What derails it
Unplanned overnight stay in most units happens because the patient has nowhere to go before the morning bus, not because of a surgical problem, so record the reason for every failed discharge in a closed list of categories.

The designs

What each design commits you to

The designs in this General Surgery register

The design is not a label on the title; it decides your ethics route, your timetable and the test that answers your primary question. Only the designs that appear above are explained here.

Cross-sectional
2 topics
One contact per participant. Usually the quickest to complete, and the design most often chosen when time is short.
Prospective observational
15 topics
Participants are followed after enrolment without allocating an intervention. Ethics approval must precede the first enrolment.
Retrospective
4 topics
Existing records only. Faster, but limited by what was recorded, and a waiver of consent is normally sought from the ethics committee.
Comparative interventional
11 topics
Two or more arms compared. Ethics scrutiny is heavier, and the protocol must state how allocation is handled.
Randomised controlled
6 topics
Allocation is randomised. Prospective interventional studies are registered with the Clinical Trials Registry of India before the first participant is enrolled.
Diagnostic accuracy
6 topics
An index test measured against a reference standard. The sample size depends on the expected sensitivity or specificity and the prevalence in your setting.
Case-control
1 topic
Cases and controls compared for prior exposure. Control selection is where these are most often criticised.
Cohort
1 topic
A defined group followed over time. Attrition is the usual threat, so plan for it in the sample size.

What the feasibility mark means

A judgement about a typical teaching unit, not about yours. Confirm the volume, the equipment and the co-operation a topic needs before your synopsis goes in, because after that the timetable stops being negotiable^[2].

Straightforward
27 topics
Achievable in most teaching units with routine caseload and no equipment beyond what is already in use.
Moderate
17 topics
Achievable, but needs either a specific piece of equipment, a collaborating department, or a caseload you should confirm before committing.
Demanding
2 topics
Only take this on if your unit already has the volume, the equipment and the co-operation it needs. Confirm all three before your synopsis goes in.

Next steps

Before you commit to one

What to do with a topic you like

Three steps, in this order. None of them is us: the first is arithmetic, the second is your guide, the third is a search only you can run.

Do the arithmetic
The figure on each plate is a planning range, not an answer. Put your own assumptions — the difference you would call clinically meaningful, the variability you expect, the power you want — into the free sample size calculator, then divide the result by the eligible patients your unit sees in a month and see whether the months you have left permit it.
Take it to your guide
Nothing on this page is approved by anybody. Your guide and your department decide what is feasible in your unit, and your ethics committee decides whether it may start — before the first participant, not before the analysis^[5]. Where your university ordinance is stricter than anything here, the ordinance wins^[1].
Run the search yourself
We make no claim that any question here is novel, under-studied or a gap, because that depends on a literature search run today in your own field. Read what the search returns before you write the introduction, and be ready to say why the question is worth asking in your setting.

What a thesis in this field has to satisfy — the obligations, the statistics and the questions residents ask first — is set out on the General Surgery page. Other specialties are in the topic bank index, and the method is worked through in the guides.

Undertakings

Mechanisms, not promises

What protects your draft, and who owns the work

Each line below is a mechanism this platform implements or a published instrument it is built around. None of them is a guarantee, and we are affiliated with no regulator or university.

Protection of your work

Row-level security
Every table enforces row-level access. You read your own record, and nothing else.
View-only streaming
Drafts are streamed to you through an authenticated route, not handed over as a file.
Watermarked to you
Every page you read carries your own name and email across it.
Download gated
The final file unlocks when the fee is settled in full, and not before.
Mumbai region · DPDP 2023
Your record and your documents are held in the Mumbai region, so India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 applies to them.
Anonymised data only
We accept no patient identifiers. An NDA is available on request.

How this works

Instruments we work to

NMC PGMER-2023
The thesis obligations set out in the postgraduate medical education regulations.
NBEMS
DNB and DrNB protocol and thesis timelines, and the page limit, as published.
UGC 2018 · <10%
The academic integrity convention we work to on every draft.
ICMJE · Vancouver
Authorship criteria and reference style, applied as published.
No affiliation
We work to these published instruments. We are affiliated to none of the bodies that issue them.

How this works

Authorship and the uniqueness check

Sole author
Mentoring, editing, statistics and compliance. You remain the sole author of your thesis.
Not ghostwriting
We will not write your thesis for you, and we will not be named in it.
MDSoftune
Word-level uniqueness checking, built with REDENN Informatics Inc., Canada.
Every version
Each draft is checked word by word before your university sees it.

How this works

MDThesis is an independent academic mentorship practice. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for the NMC, NBEMS, UGC or any university.

Free feasibility call

Tell us where your thesis stands. A senior doctor will tell you what to do next.

A senior doctor replies within one working day. No obligation. MD, MS, DNB, DrNB, DM, MCh, MDS and international programmes.

Request for a feasibility call

No obligation

Reply within one working day · No obligation · Your details are not shared

Prefer to write to us first? Contact the practice. We mentor and edit; you remain the sole author of your thesis.

References

[1]
Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023, National Medical Commission. In force 1 January 2024. Thesis requirements at Regulation 5.2. nmc.org.in
[2]
DNB and DrNB thesis guidelines, National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences. Protocol within 180 days of joining for three-year courses and 90 days for the two-year post-diploma DNB; research study complete by 24 months; thesis by 26 months; 80-page limit inclusive of certificates and annexures. natboard.edu.in
[5]
National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research Involving Human Participants, 2017, Indian Council of Medical Research. Ethics approval precedes data collection. icmr.gov.in
[6]
Counts of specialties, tracked stages, supported currencies and supported countries are structural facts of this platform, read from its own configuration rather than from a claim.

Document: Topic bank — General Surgery · Revision 1 · Last reviewed 10 SEPT 2026

Issued by MDThesis, a brand of REDENN Informatics Private Limited

General Surgery thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for eachGeneral Surgery thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for each

Comparison of the Alvarado and RIPASA scores against histopathology in patients operated for suspected acute appendicitis

Adult Appendicitis Score as a triage tool for admission and observation in right iliac fossa pain

Histologically negative appendicectomy in a teaching unit: frequency and associated clinical features

Antibiotic-first management compared with early appendicectomy in radiologically uncomplicated acute appendicitis

Outcome of conservative management of appendicular lump with planned interval appendicectomy

Laparoscopic compared with open appendicectomy in acute appendicitis: postoperative pain, wound complications and hospital stay

Lichtenstein mesh hernioplasty compared with Desarda no-mesh repair in primary inguinal hernia

Totally extraperitoneal compared with transabdominal preperitoneal repair in inguinal hernia: operative time and early complications

Chronic groin pain six months after open mesh hernioplasty and its preoperative predictors

Onlay compared with sublay mesh placement in elective incisional hernia repair

Factors associated with incisional hernia after emergency midline laparotomy: a case-control comparison

Cyanoacrylate glue compared with polypropylene suture for mesh fixation in Lichtenstein hernioplasty

Negative pressure wound therapy compared with conventional moist dressing in diabetic foot ulcers

Wagner grade at presentation and subsequent minor or major amputation in diabetic foot ulcer

Honey dressing compared with povidone-iodine dressing in chronic non-healing lower limb ulcers

Surgical site infection after elective abdominal surgery: rate, organisms and sensitivity pattern

Skin staples compared with subcuticular monofilament suture for closure of clean elective abdominal incisions

Nutritional status by Subjective Global Assessment in patients awaiting major elective gastrointestinal surgery

Bethesda-categorised fine needle aspiration cytology against final histopathology in solitary thyroid nodule

Voice outcome after total thyroidectomy assessed by the Voice Handicap Index-10 and laryngoscopy

Early postoperative parathyroid hormone and serum calcium as predictors of symptomatic hypocalcaemia after total thyroidectomy

Drain compared with no drain after hemithyroidectomy for benign thyroid nodule

Triple assessment of the palpable breast lump against histopathology of the excised specimen

Flap fixation compared with conventional closure after modified radical mastectomy: seroma formation and drain duration

Shoulder morbidity after axillary lymph node dissection assessed by the QuickDASH and goniometry

Clinicopathological profile of breast carcinoma in women under forty treated at a teaching hospital

Preoperative clinical and ultrasound predictors of conversion from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy

Intraoperative difficulty grading at laparoscopic cholecystectomy and its relation to postoperative course

Early compared with delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute calculous cholecystitis

Incidentally reported gall bladder carcinoma in routine cholecystectomy specimens and its presenting features

Mannheim Peritonitis Index and Boey score as predictors of mortality in perforated peptic ulcer

Aetiological spectrum and operative outcome of hollow viscus perforation peritonitis

BISAP score at admission and severity of acute pancreatitis by revised Atlanta criteria

Causes and operative outcome of acute intestinal obstruction in adults

Focused assessment with sonography for trauma against contrast-enhanced CT in haemodynamically stable blunt abdominal trauma

Revised Trauma Score at triage and in-hospital mortality in blunt trauma

Stapled haemorrhoidopexy compared with open haemorrhoidectomy in grade three haemorrhoids

Magnetic resonance fistulography against operative findings in complex fistula-in-ano

Topical diltiazem compared with lateral internal sphincterotomy in chronic anal fissure

Limberg flap compared with primary midline closure for sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus

Venous Clinical Severity Score before and after surgery for primary varicose veins

Endovenous laser ablation compared with conventional stripping for great saphenous vein incompetence

Outcome of acute thermal burns by total body surface area and inhalational involvement

An enhanced recovery protocol compared with conventional perioperative care in elective bowel surgery

Gall stones detected on abdominal ultrasound performed for unrelated indications in adults

Feasibility and outcome of day-care general surgical procedures in a teaching hospital

What the feasibility mark means

Tell us where your thesis stands. A senior doctor will tell you what to do next.

General Surgery thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for each