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:

• Platelet count: This test is performed to make sure your platelet levels aren't too high or too low. Too many platelets put you at risk of forming a blood clot in a blood vessel and could be a sign of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Too few platelets put you at risk of uncontrollably bleeding during surgery because there aren't enough platelets to clot the blood.

• Blood smear: This test looks at the shape of your blood cells under a microscope. Usual blood cell shapes can signify diseases such as leukemia and sickle cell anemia.

• White blood cell count: If your white blood cell levels are too high, this can signify a bacterial infection. This is because white blood cells protect against infection from bacteria and viruses and will increase when an infection develops.

• White blood cell types: This test checks six different types of white blood cells for abnormal concentrations of each in the blood. The purpose of this test is to obtain information about your immune system to help identify infections, diseases, or allergies.

• Red blood cell count: Too high a level of red blood cells signifies that your body isn't getting sufficient oxygen. Too low a level means you're at risk of a condition where your red blood cells will clump together, blocking your smaller blood vessels.

• Hematocrit: This test identifies how much space your red blood cells take up in the blood. Low levels could mean that you're anemic.

• Hemoglobin: This test is performed to see how much hemoglobin is in your red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen. A low level of this substance is an indication that your blood isn't carrying oxygen as well as it should be.

• Red blood cell indices: This test measures the size, amount, and concentration of hemoglobin in your average red blood cell. This test checks for a number of things, including anemia.

Those are the most commonly performed preoperative tests, and there are other tests that could also be done. Your tests will depend on a number of factors, such as what kind of surgery you're going in for, your age, your medical conditions, and the type of anesthesia you will need during surgery.