Preoperative Tests for the Surgery Patient

Preoperative tests are routinely done before a person goes in for surgery. Whether you’re going under the knife for cosmetic or health reasons, your surgeon will need to do certain tests. These tests are done to ensure your body is physically capable of handling your upcoming surgery procedure. Here are some of the most common preoperative tests:

X-RAYS: There are two commonly needed x-rays, a chest x-ray and a mammogram. Naturally, a mammogram is only necessary prior to breast surgery, such as when getting breast implants. A mammogram x-ray will show whether or not you have breast cancer.

A chest x-ray is used to show the organs in your chest. This type of x-ray can show whether or not you have a lung infection, such as pneumonia. It can also determine if you have congestive heart failure. If your chest x-ray shows a sort of problem, then the surgeon will likely postpone your surgery for a later date—when your chest problem has been cleared up.

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM: This test, usually referred to as an ECG or an EKG, measures the electrical signals from your heart (such as your heart beat). This test isn’t always performed; older patients (over age 40) more likely to take it.

BLOOD WORK: A chemistry panel is a test that measures the levels of various chemicals in your blood, such as sodium, potassium, and glucose. If your levels of any one of these chemicals are too high or too low, then the surgeon will likely postpone your surgery until this can be corrected.

In most cases, a blood test is not necessary to detect pregnancy; usually a urine test is good enough. Rarely, the doctor may want to test for pregnancy through a blood test, which is slightly more sensitive than a urine test.

A complete blood count (CBC) is a series of tests (usually eight) that look at the parts of the blood itself. And don’t worry; all you need to get is one shot for all eight tests. Here are the eight things a complete blood count will measure: