Pre-Operative Evaluation
Our pre-operative evaluation involves reviewing your medical history, medications, current health and potential risk factors to minimize the chance of complications during and after surgery. A thorough assessment may include a physical exam, blood tests, an EKG and imaging. We may consult specialists to manage conditions like hypertension, diabetes or heart disease and adjust your surgical plan or anesthesia to reduce risk. In some cases, elective procedures are delayed until chronic conditions are optimized. By evaluating your readiness for surgery, we help ensure a safer experience and smoother recovery.
Pre-operative evaluations are important because they reduce perioperative complications by identifying medical abnormalities and evaluating the risks posed by chronic conditions. They provide an opportunity to optimize issues like high blood pressure or diabetes, adjust medications, and plan perioperative monitoring. By assessing your overall health and surgical risks, these evaluations help ensure you are safe to proceed with surgery, prevent cancellations and may shorten hospital stays.
These evaluations can uncover uncontrolled chronic diseases (such as hypertension or diabetes), heart or lung problems, infections, bleeding or clotting disorders, medication interactions, sleep apnea and other conditions that could impact surgery. They also gather information on your current medications, allergies, functional and nutritional status, prior surgeries and anesthesia complications.
During your pre-operative evaluation, you will meet with a clinician to review your medical history, discuss your current health conditions and medications, and go over the planned surgery. You’ll be asked about any past surgeries or reactions to anesthesia, and a physical exam will focus on the heart, lungs and the area of surgery. The clinician may order or review laboratory tests, imaging or heart/lung tests, and will discuss which medications to continue or stop and any necessary lifestyle changes. You’ll also have the chance to ask questions about risks, anesthesia options and how best to prepare.
By offering pre-operative evaluations on-site, Next Journey Orthopaedics coordinates all aspects of your surgical preparation in one place. Our clinicians work closely with your surgeon to ensure that assessments, lab work and imaging are completed efficiently. This integrated approach reduces delays, improves communication across your care team and provides a clear plan so you feel confident going into surgery.