How to Prepare for Your Pre-op Exam

Surgery of any kind is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s usually designed to improve your health and can often be considered life-saving. On the other hand, any surgery carries risks, which is why many surgeons want patients to undergo a preoperative health exam first.

Each year in the United States, between 40 and 50 million major surgeries are performed, to say nothing of the millions more minor procedures. And in many of these cases, patients need to undergo preventive pre-op exams, which we offer here at Midwest Regional Health Services.

During this exam, our experienced and skilled team of healthcare providers will check to make sure you’re in good shape for your surgery. While we’ll take care of this important health check, there are some things that you can do on your end to make your pre-op exam go more smoothly. 

Gather any pertinent medical information

When you come to see us for a pre-op exam, we’ll spend some time collecting your vital statistics, such as height, weight, heart rate, blood pressure, etc. While this will help paint a current picture of your health, we want to also go over any past medical issues, so we ask that you come prepared with a medical history.

For example, we’ll ask about previous surgeries and any health issues that you’ve had in the past (and present). Issues like cardiovascular disease, which affects nearly half of American adults, or chronic diseases like diabetes, which affects more than 38 million Americans, can impact your health during and after surgery.

So, please come prepared with a brief history of your health.

Bring a list of medications

We will also spend some time during your pre-op exam going over any medications you’re taking, which also includes over-the-counter (OTC) medications and supplements.

From a daily vitamin to prescription statins, and everything in between, we need to know about everything you take on a regular basis. 

There are many reasons why we review your medication use, but we pay close attention to any medications or supplements that might thin your blood or lead to other side effects we want to minimize during your surgery.

Share your lifestyle habits

During your pre-op exam, we also cover lifestyle habits, such as how much exercise you get, how much alcohol you drink, and whether you smoke or vape. We want you to answer these questions honestly — we promise we won’t judge. 

What we will do is make recommendations for curbing certain habits and boosting others before your surgery. For example, most surgeons want patients to quit smoking before surgery and to refrain from alcohol in the days leading up the procedure.

We might also recommend that you ramp up your exercise a little before surgery, if you’re able, as it will give your health a quick boost that can help improve your outcome.

Come armed with questions

Your pre-op exam is a great time to ask any questions you might have about your upcoming surgery. While we may not have the answers for your specific procedure, we can answer general questions about surgery and your health.

If you have more questions about preparing for your pre-op exam, we’re just a phone call or click away. Simply contact our office in Omaha, Nebraska, to get started.