Going Under The Knife? Make Sure You're Well-Informed About Your Surgery

Preparing For The Surgery

Ask how the surgery will improve things and for how long. Some procedures correct a condition for a specific period of time, while others are life-long solutions. This could affect some of the decisions you make about the type of surgery that is being performed. Also ask if there are any long-term implications. Some surgeries require you to take anti-rejection medication in the case of a transplant, or a blood thinner for the rest of your life for some types of heart surgeries. You should also discuss if the procedure is reversible in the case of gastric-bypass surgery or vasectomies, although any questions related to reversing a vasectomy may lead the surgeon to question your decision to have the procedure done.   

What are the risks of this operation? This is a tough question but you need to ask it. And it's not just about surviving the procedure but side-effects such as numbness or paralysis, the risk of stroke due to blood clots during the procedure, the possibility of infection after the procedure, the quality of the blood-supply in the event of a transfusion, side-effects and complications due to anesthesia, pain-management, and the overall statistical success rate for the procedure. 

The Quality Of The Hospital Or Surgical Facility

• Where will the procedure be performed and is it accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), or by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare? This ensures that the facility follows accepted and certified procedures as a surgical center. 
• What's the infection rate at the facility? The surgeon may not know immediately, but should provide you with the resource or the information to find out. Hospitals will often share that information as well. 
• Ask the surgeon if they regularly practice at the hospital or facility. If they do, it means they have some control and approval of surgical staff, assistants, anesthesiologists and other support for your procedure.  

An important question for the surgeon and the hospital is whether or not they accept or are in the network for your current insurance plan.  Your insurer can also help answer this question. This varies depending on your country and your insurance but you don't want to find out after the fact that you owe a significant amount of money.

Your Recovery And What You Can Expect

• Make sure you ask and understand about your recovery from the surgery.  Ask if you will be provided with a recovery plan and the list of conditions, complications or side-effects that you should respond to immediately.  This should also identify your medication schedule and dates for follow-up visits to assess your progress.  Ask as well when you can begin to resume activities and what lifestyle changes you may need to make.

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Many people find that this level of research and questioning helps them to prepare for surgery both emotionally and physically.  You should also involve your family members in this process and make sure they understand what you have learned. They will also be feeling many emotions as you approach your surgery date and have the same need for reassurance. Overall, the numbers on your side as statistics show that more and more surgical procedures lead to positive outcomes. One way to make sure you're part of those good statistics is the ask the questions and be prepared.