General surgery is a surgical specialty that focuses on the abdominal organs including the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland (depending on local reference patterns). They also deal with diseases involving the skin, breast, soft tissue, and hernias. Subspecialties include trauma, laparoscopy, colorectal, breast, vascular, endocrine, transplant, surgical oncology, and cardiothoracic surgery.