Tax cut in surgical fashion (6)
I believe the answer is:
excise
This clue might be a double definition.
'tax' is the first definition.
(I know that excise is a type of indirect tax)
'cut in surgical fashion' is the second definition.
'excise' can be an answer for 'cut' (I've seen this in other clues). I'm not certain of the 'in surgical fashion' bit.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for excise that I've seen before include "Cut out; commodity tax" , "Tax on certain goods and commodities" , "Expunge the tax?" , "Internal tax" , "Duty; cut out" .)