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Detailed information on the most common surgical procedures, including appendectomy, breast biopsy, carotid endarterectomy, cataract surgery, cesarean section, cholecystectomy, coronary artery bypass surgery, debridement of wound, dilation and curettage,
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Thousands of Americans face surgery each year, often with fear and doubts about whether the right step is being taken. And not knowing what's involved may mean putting yourself through as much grief as the procedure intends to do away with. Whether you are undergoing surgery for the first time or the tenth, understanding why you need it, the risks involved, available alternative treatments, and the aftereffects will help you make the right decisions and deal effectively with the outcome.
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Detailed information on the most common tests performed before surgery Many surgeons order routine laboratory tests before admission to the hospital, or even before certain outpatient procedures, to identify potential problems that might complicate surgery if not detected and treated early. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), some of the most common tests performed before surgery (and possible reasons/symptoms why they are performed) are included in the following list:
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Detailed information on preparing for surgery and questions to ask before surgery
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Detailed information on the purpose of having surgery Surgery, whether elective or required, is done for a multitude of reasons. A patient may have surgery to:
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Detailed information on recovering from surgery and intensive care Once surgery has been completed, you are brought to the recovery room, which also may be called the post-anesthesia care unit. In the recovery room, clinical staff will closely monitor you as you recover from anesthesia. The length of time spent in recovery depends on the type of surgery performed and the individual patient. While a patient is in recovery, the clinical staff may do the following:
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Detailed information on the different methods of surgery, including open surgery, minimally invasive surgery, laparoscopy, endoscopy, arthroscopy, bronchoscopy, cystoscopy, gastroscopy, hysteroscopy, laryngoscopy, and sigmoidoscopy
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Detailed information on surgery, including surgery statistics, surgery questions, preoperative management, intraoperative management, and postoperative management
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Detailed information on preparing for a plastic surgery procedure As with any type of surgery, there are certain preparations that need to take place. Determining what preparations are necessary will depend on what type of surgery that will be performed and the type of anesthesia that will be administered. The following are considerations for you to discuss with your physician/surgeon prior to your procedure:
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Detailed information on preparation for surgery, including preoperative checklists, and information on informed consent forms, advance directives, and insurance
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Detailed information on preparing for surgery Preparations for surgery depend on your diagnosis. Your physician will discuss with you how to prepare for your surgery. However, if you will undergo general anesthesia, you may be asked to do the following:
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Detailed information on surgery, including surgery statistics, surgery questions, preoperative management, intraoperative management, and postoperative management
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Detailed information on surgery, the different types of surgery, the surgical setting, and the purpose of surgery
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List of online resources to find additional information on surgery This Web was compiled from a variety of sources including the online resources listed below, but is not intended to substitute or replace the professional medical advice you receive from your physician. The content provided here is for informational purposes only, and was not designed to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Please consult your physician with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
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Detailed information on other techniques of surgery, including laser surgery and electrosurgery
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Detailed information on the day of surgery and what to expect in the operating room
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Detailed information on the surgical team, including the surgeon, anesthesiologist, certified registered nurse anesthetist, and operating room nurse
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Statistics relating to surgery According to the latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics, 43.9 million inpatient surgical procedures were performed in the United States in 2003, followed closely by outpatient surgeries.
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Detailed information on the surgical setting and the options that may be available to the patient, including outpatient surgery, inpatient surgery, ambulatory surgery, and specialty surgery centers
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Detailed information on the different types of surgery, including surgical diagnosis, optional surgery, elective surgery, required surgery, urgent surgery, or emergency surgery
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Detailed information on discharge planning after surgery Once you meet the discharge criteria specified for your type of surgery, you will be released to go home or be transferred to a room. Hospitals usually require that the patient is transported home by a friend or family member, as coordination and reflexes may be impaired for 24 hours following anesthesia. Your discharge plan may include instructions on how to take care of the wound dressings, what medications to take, what exercises to do, and other home care instructions.
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What kinds of surgery can I consider? Which operation do you recommend for me? Will I need radiation after surgery?
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Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by many different germs, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. This article discusses describes pneumonia that occurs in a person whose ability to fight infection is greatly reduced because their ...
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You have either undergone a procedure or been diagnosed with an illness that has made you "immunocompromised.” This means that your immune system is very weak, making it difficult to fight off infection. Certain cancers, cancer treatments, HIV infection, and transplant surgery are examples of things that can make you immunocompromised. You must be very careful—even the slightest infection can carry the risk of hospitalization or death. This sheet gives precautions you can follow to protect yourself from infection. You will need to follow them until your doctor tells you that you can stop. You may need to be careful for the rest of your life.
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