Preparing for Surgery

Our Goal – The goal of our website is to help patients prepare for surgery so they may improve their experience and outcome.  We have decided to first help you understand the steps most patients take as they go through the peri-operative experience. 

A Guide – We will guide you through all of the usual stages patients experience from the moment they are given the first news that surgery is necessary, through the preparation phase, the day of surgery and the postoperative recovery. 

Insights – We hope to give you some insights so you will know how best to interact with your physician and healthcare givers through all of these scenarios.  We may also give you an understanding of common concerns that affect patients so you may have the chance to ask the important questions that pertain to your situation. 

• We are not here to take the place of your physician nor do we give medical advice.  We are here as mentors so that you may benefit from our extensive experience surrounding anesthesia, surgery, and recovery.

As you begin preparing for surgery there are several steps you will take to have a successful outcome. 

You will receive directions from your doctor’s office to begin your journey and this must be completed before the day of  your procedure.  Most of these steps will take place as an outpatient at your doctor’s office, a specialist’s office, an outpatient surgery center or even within a hospital.  This will help determine if there are any risks for you based on your medical condition.

The Road to Surgery may be a challenge as there are several steps that must be taken.

• Surgical Consultation: First a decision is made in consultation with your surgeon. Together you will decide the reasons for pursuing this path and will consider the risks.
• Anesthesia Consultation: In some cases this may be followed by Anesthesia Consultation if you have any significant conditions that may affect your care or outcome during surgery. Some of the most common conditions are a history of heart disease, lung disease or diabetes.
• Preoperative Evaluation: Almost everyone will also be asked to have some preoperative evaluation in anticipation of your surgery. This can usually be done as an outpatient.

Deciding on Surgery

A decision is first made to have surgery in conjunction with your surgeon. A patient is seen for a complaint, the surgeon evaluates, the diagnosis is made and a surgery is scheduled.  Depending on the urgency of the problem the case is scheduled in one week or up to 2 months.  This is often influenced by urgency of the problem the surgeon’s schedule or that of the operating room.

Anesthesia Consultation

There will be many occasions when either a surgeon or a preoperative evaluation professional will recognize significant issues that may be of concern to the outcome of the procedure. In this case, an Anesthesia Consultation may be requested days before surgery. This will usually take place in the surgicenter or hospital at least a week before surgery.

Preoperative Evaluation

Most patients will be asked to have some preoperative testing before surgery. These tests are meant to screen the patient for any conditions that may affect the preoperative risks. This has helped improve outcomes and decreased the risk of surgery significantly.

It is important you take the time to discuss the rationale for the surgery with your doctor and take the opportunity to have the evaluations and testing necessary to make your procedure safer. Take the time to ask your surgeon or healthcare provider for clarification on any questions you might have.