Manage to perform surgery (7)
I believe the answer is:
operate
I believe this clue is a double definition.
'manage' is the first definition.
(thesaurus)
'perform surgery' is the second definition.
(I've seen this before)
'to' is the link.
(Other definitions for operate that I've seen before include "(Of machine) function" , "Control, run, a mcahine say" , "Act in a theatre" , "Manage, run" , "Cut - run" .)