What to Ask
Before Surgery
By Carolyn M.
Clancy, M.D.
January 16, 2008
If you are facing
surgery, you are not alone. Every year, more
than 15 million Americans have surgery.
Popular TV shows
would have you believe that surgery is always an
immediate, life-or-death matter. In reality,
most operations are not emergencies.
This means you
have time to learn about the surgery your doctor
has recommended so you understand what’s
involved and feel comfortable that it’s the best
treatment. It also means you have time to find
the right surgeon and hospital and to ask your
surgeon questions to make sure the operation is
as safe as possible.
Most likely, the
doctor you see for general medical care is your
primary care doctor. He or she may be the doctor
who recommends you have surgery and refers you
to a surgeon. You may want to find an additional
surgeon to get a second opinion to confirm an
operation is the right treatment for you.
My agency, the
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
(AHRQ), has developed a
list of questions you can ask your primary
care doctor and surgeon before you have surgery.
We also give reasons for asking these questions.
The answers you get will help you make the best
decision about your treatment and be as prepared
as possible.
Ask your doctor
to explain:
- Why
you need to have surgery. There are
many reasons to have surgery: to relieve or
prevent pain, reduce a symptom of a problem,
improve the way your body functions, or even
save your life. Make sure you understand how
the operation your doctor has suggested will
improve your medical condition.
- What
kind of operation he or she is recommending.
Ask your surgeon to explain the surgery and
how it is done. Your surgeon can draw a
picture or a diagram and explain the steps
involved in the surgery. Ask if there is
more than one way of doing the operation.
For example, some operations that once
required large incisions now can be
performed using much smaller incisions. For
some surgeries you need to stay in the
hospital for 1 day or longer, but for others
it is possible for you go home on the same
day.
- If
there are alternatives to surgery.
Depending on your condition, surgery may not
be the only answer to a medical problem.
Medicines or treatments, such as special
exercises or changes in diet, could give you
the sameor even betterresults as surgery.
- The
benefits of the operation. Ask your
surgeon to explain what you will gain by
having the operation. If you need a hip
replacement, for example, you may be able to
walk without pain after the surgery. Ask how
long the benefits will last. In some cases,
you may need another operation after a short
time for the benefits to continue. In other
cases, the benefits of the surgery may last
your lifetime.
- The
risks of the operation. All
operations have some risk. That’s why it is
important to balance the benefits of the
operation with the risk of complications or
side effects. Typical complications include
infection, too much bleeding, accidental
injury, or reaction to anesthesia. Ask your
doctor to explain what side effects you
might have, such as swelling or soreness
around the incision. Find out what steps the
doctors and nurses will take to control any
pain you may feel after surgery.
- What
will happen if you don’t have this
operation. Based on what you learn
about the benefits and the risks of the
operation, you may decide not to have it.
Ask your surgeon what you stand to loseor
gainby not having the operation now. Will
you be in more pain in the future? Could
your condition get worse? Could the
condition get better on its own?
- How
much the operation will cost. Call
your health insurance company before you
have the operation. Even with insurance,
there may be costs that you will have to
pay, depending on the hospital and surgeon
you use. You will also get a bill from the
hospital for your care and from the other
doctors who took care of you during your
hospital stay. If you don’t have health
insurance, talk to the hospital’s billing
staff and your surgeon to see if you can get
a discount on the cost of the operation.
Even though
millions of operations are performed each year,
surgery is a big decision for every patient.
Take the time you need to ask questions before
you undergo surgery. When you are well-informed
about your treatment, the chances are better
that you will be more satisfied with the
results.
I’m Dr. Carolyn
Clancy, and that’s my advice on how to navigate
the health care system.
Resources
Agency
for Healthcare Research and Quality
Having Surgery? What You Need to Know
http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/surgery/surgery.htm
Current as of January 2008
Internet Citation:
What to Ask Before Surgery. Navigating
the Health Care System: Advice Columns from Dr.
Carolyn Clancy, January 16, 2008. Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/cc/cc011608.htm
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