Questions You Must Ask If You Are Contemplating Surgery




If you have to have surgery make sure that the surgeon still performs at least 30 operations a year of the type you need.

And before you agree to have surgery make sure that you know the answers to these questions:

1. What are the alternatives? (Including treatments which do not involve surgery.)
2. What is likely to happen to me if I do not have the operation?
3. What is the overall success rate for this operation?
4. Are there are any other operations which might be safer and/or more effective?
5. If you are a pre-menopausal woman ask if the operation is more likely to be a success if you have it done at a particular time in your menstrual cycle.
6. What are possible/likely side effects of the operation?
7. How is the operation going to improve my life?
8. Is the operation really suitable for me?
9. How experienced is the surgeon who is planning to perform the operation? (Ask who is going to perform the operation - the consultant or one of his assistants.)
10. What after care will I need? How long will I need nursing? When can I go home? How long will I need to stay off work?


Copyright Vernon Coleman 2011

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