Are you aware of the risks before, during, and after surgery or receiving an anesthetic? Everyone has risks. Health, lifestyle, or habits may increase these risks and everyone is not a candidate for this type of procedure. T

"Black Jack" to Prevent a Surgery Setback

A guide to achieving wellness before, during, and after a surgical experience!By Stacey Alexis Karseras

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 Stacey Alexis Karseras LPN
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4685-9523-9

Contents

Introduction.............................................ix1. Advance Directives....................................12. Consent Forms.........................................23. Necessary Versus Elective Surgery.....................34. Medical History.......................................45. Surgical History......................................56. Anesthetics...........................................67. Risks of Anesthetics..................................78. Anesthetic History....................................89. Immune System.........................................910. Infection............................................1011. Physical Fitness.....................................1112. Scar Tissue and Adhesions............................1313. Wound Dehiscence.....................................1414. Incisional Hernia....................................1515. Multiple Surgeries...................................1616. Physicians...........................................1717. Preoperative Instructions............................1818. Postoperative Instructions...........................1919. Patient Responsibility...............................2020. Anatomy of the Female and Male.......................21About the Author.........................................23

Chapter One

Advance Directives

Advance directives include many types of legal documentation regarding health and financial decisions.

A living will (LW) is enforced if an individual is unable to make medical decisions.

A health care surrogate (HCS) appoints another person to make health care decisions on someone else's behalf.

A power of attorney (POA) appoints another person to make legal decisions on someone else's behalf.

A do not resuscitate (DNR) states an individual's wishes regarding life saving measures in case of an emergency.

Chapter Two

Consent Forms

Have you ever wondered why the use of small print is so common, especially on legal documents? This information is usually the most important and is often overlooked. It usually takes a few more minutes to read and may be difficult to understand but might include details a salesman hopes a customer will just skim over. These documents can be used in a court of law, so the time to ask questions is before signing. It is everyone's right to understand any document prior to signing it, so take the time to read each document thoroughly before signing.

No question is a stupid question!

Before any procedure, you may have several interviews with medical personnel to see how good of a candidate you are for the procedure in question. Each patient should read over the information thoroughly before scheduling a procedure and ask plenty of questions about anything unclear.

Chapter Three

Necessary Versus Elective Surgery

If you have an accident or medical emergency, surgery may be the only option that will allow you to maintain your quality of life. You may not have time to make the decision on your own or to seek a second opinion. A medical professional's goal is to preserve a patient's quality of life unless otherwise instructed by an advanced directive. If you are considering a surgery that is not a medical emergency but may increase your quality of life, then you should consider the risks before scheduling the procedure, meet with the surgeon, and ask questions regarding pre-op, surgery, post-op, and your individual prognosis. A surgeon may have reservations or refuse to perform surgery on someone because of a person's lifestyle or habits, for example, if the patient uses nicotine, alcohol, or recreational drugs.

Chapter Four

Medical History

A patient's medical history tells a story or paints a picture for a healthcare professional. Many patients are uneducated in regard to their own health, but this information is very important and may determine the prognosis before a procedure is ever performed. Undisclosed information may place a patient at an increased risk for complications. Anytime you have an acute (onetime) or chronic (occurring more than once) illness, it becomes part of your medical history. Sometimes, a procedure is cancelled on the day it is scheduled because a patient forgot to mention pertinent information during the preoperative process, such as substance abuse. I've learned that the majority of cardiac patients are unaware that high blood pressure (the silent killer) and elevated cholesterol levels are both heart problems.

An anesthesiologist reviews a patient's medical history prior to the date of service to enable proper facility placement, prevention, and preparation appropriate for each case.

A physician can prescribe medication for a particular condition, but if the patient does not take the medicine or change his or her current lifestyle, the condition is usually still present and most of the time unmanaged. Medication is not a cure to a problem and may even create more problems or secondary conditions resulting from risks for allergies, adverse reactions, and side effects. The more information a patient is able to divulge, the better the chance medical personnel have to provide appropriate care.

Chapter Five

Surgical History

After a patient has an invasive procedure, it becomes part of the patient's medical history. If someone is experiencing a health problem and decides to seek a physician's recommendation for treatment, the least invasive action is usually initiated before surgery is performed. This may include changes in lifestyle, habits, rehabilitation, or pain management. Anyone with uncontrolled health problems increases his risks with surgery. Many surgeons will not perform surgery if the patient does not comply with preoperative instructions prior to scheduling a procedure or if that person's lifestyle or habits, such as nicotine, alcohol, and drug abuse, cause risks for additional complications that are too high. A surgeon always seeks a positive outcome or prognosis, and most do not like to see their patients experience complications or to perform multiple surgeries made necessary by complications. It is important to always check if the physician is board certified for the procedure in question. In many circumstances a person's history may cause a surgeon to hesitate before scheduling the procedure, and the surgeon will make the final decision to treat or perform it.

Chapter Six

Anesthetics

An anesthetic is an agent used for numbing. The route an anesthetic is administered can vary. Several factors are used to determine the best route for each patient, such as age, medical history, the type or length of surgery, and bleeding risk. An anesthesiologist treats each patient individually. A positive outcome with the fewest complications is the primary goal of every procedure. The anesthesiologist will decide the best route and will provide instructions to decrease complications before and after administering the anesthetic. Three types of administration are local, regional, and general. Local and regional anesthetics leave the patient conscious during sedation. General anesthetics may be used with procedures that have an increased risk for bleeding, but a person's medical history may be...