The Surgeon (video game)
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| The Surgeon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Winchell Chung |
| Publisher(s) | Information Systems for Medicine |
| Designer(s) | Dr. Myo Thant |
| Platform(s) | Macintosh, Amiga |
| Release | 1985 |
| Genre(s) | Simulation |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
The Surgeon is a computer game published in 1985 by Information Systems for Medicine (ISM) for Amiga and Macintosh.
In The Surgeon, the player takes the role of a surgeon in a hospital. The game begins with the player meeting with a patient, and being provided with either an X-ray of the spine or an ultrasound examination of the abdomen, both of which may need to be requested by the player for further insight rather than being given to begin with.[1] When meeting with a patient, the player may judge the patient's condition from a description of symptoms from the patient and the information they're given, and the player may choose to observe the patient (do nothing), prescribe painkillers, or operate. Inaction, such as prescribing painkillers or doing nothing if a patient's condition is serious and time-sensitive, may result in the patient's death.[1] Patients may also die from failed surgery, or abrupt complications during surgery if the player fails to treat them in time.[1] Patients may also die post-surgery from infection if the player neglects to sterilize the area with antiseptic solution before and after surgery, or by not washing their hands.[2][3]
The death of a patient resets the player's progress, and The Surgeon lacks a save function. The Surgeon's manual details possible medical afflictions the player will need to diagnose and treat in-game, describing their symptoms and the treatment needed. The manual also offers detailed step-by-step instructions for the surgeries in The Surgeon.[1]