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What to Ask Your Doctor Before Scheduling Surgery
Special to The Truth
If you are planning to
have surgery, you may be anxious. Asking the right questions
before scheduling surgery can help ensure good care and give
you a better idea of what to expect.
Here are a few areas you
may want to cover with your surgeon in advance of the big
day.
Reviewing Your Options
The implications of your
surgery will extend beyond the day you go to the hospital.
Your doctor may offer you options when it comes to the type
of surgery performed. Find out the length and type of
recovery period for each option, as well as the expected
outcomes.
For example, one option
may be typically associated with shorter expected recovery
time, but could carry greater risk. Another option may be
associated with better long-term outcomes, but increase
recovery time or leave larger scars. A third option may not
involve surgery at all. The many factors at play will help
you make the decision that is best for your long-term
health.
Improved Therapies
While great strides have
been made to operate using smaller incisions in procedures
known as minimally invasive or laparoscopic surgery,
controlling bleeding is still a major issue for surgeons. In
fact, the task can account for 30 to 50 percent of procedure
time, and for those on blood thinners, the bleeding risk is
even higher.
However, new innovations
are revolutionizing this process, making surgery faster and
safer for patients. For example, the AC5 Surgical Hemostatic
Device is being studied to see if it can one day provide a
faster, more effective means of controlling bleeding during
operations versus other common methods, such as cautery or
the use of biomaterials.
This new device, created
by Arch Therapeutics, uses AC5, which is made of a synthetic
peptide, to safely and rapidly create a physical barrier in
the nooks and crannies of tissue and promptly stop bleeding.
Reduced fluid and blood loss during surgery can improve
patient safety, free the surgical team to focus on other
tasks, and lessen recovery time.
Before your surgery, ask
your doctor about medical innovations that may improve your
outcome.
Surgeon’s Credentials
There may be few times in
your life where reviewing a professional’s credentials is
more important than when you are picking a surgeon. Luckily,
there are many impartial, online rating sites for doctors
and surgeons that can help you determine whether your doctor
is the best fit for you -- from the years of experience
they’ve had to their success rates. You may even consider
getting a second opinion on the necessity of surgery.
Your health is in your
hands more than you may realize. Be sure to seek out the
best therapies available. You can help steer the direction
of your healthcare with the right questions for your
surgeon.
Courtesy StatePoint
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