A physician who treats disease, injury, or deformity via operative or manual methods to physically change body tissues. The definition of surgeon has begun to blur in recent years as surgeons have begun to minimise the cutting, employing new technologies that are minimally invasive (such as using scopes and lasers).

"Medical Dictionary - Surgeon definition" (http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=11994)