Articles on preparing for surgery: the tests done beforehand, medicines that may need to stop, fasting, anesthesia and what to pack. Your surgical team gives the instructions that apply to you; these pages explain the reasons behind them.
A hospital bag checklist for surgery covers four things: paperwork (photo ID, insurance details, consent forms and an up-to-date medication list), loose front-opening clothing…
The ASA classification, formally the ASA Physical Status Classification System, is a six-level scale anesthesiologists use to describe a patient's overall health before surgery,…
To find a good plastic surgeon, verify certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery through the American Board of Medical Specialties directory, confirm…
A hypertrophic scar is a raised, firm, often red scar that stays within the edges of the original wound and usually softens and flattens…
Most plastic surgeons prefer a BMI below 30 for a standard tummy tuck, and many set an upper limit around 35 to 40, because…
Silicone scar sheets are one of the few over-the-counter scar treatments backed by randomized trials, though the trials are small and often at risk…
A seroma is a pocket of clear or straw-colored fluid that collects under the skin after surgery, most often where tissue was lifted or…
Most adults must stop eating solid food six to eight hours before anesthesia, while small amounts of clear fluids such as plain water are…
General anesthetics are medicines, given through a vein or as an inhaled gas, that temporarily quiet communication between brain cells so you feel nothing…
The tonsillectomy operation itself usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes under general anesthesia, and most people go home the same day after a…
No, surgeons advise against smoking or vaping nicotine before any operation. Quitting at least four weeks ahead measurably lowers the risk of wound, heart,…
General anesthesia lasts exactly as long as the anesthesia team keeps delivering medication, whether the operation takes twenty minutes or eight hours. Once the…
A thyroidectomy is surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid, the butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the neck. It is done…
For most people, general anesthesia feels like nothing at all: a warm, heavy drowsiness for a few seconds, then an instant skip forward in…
A gastric band is an inflatable silicone ring placed around the upper part of the stomach during keyhole surgery. It creates a small pouch…
Twilight anesthesia is moderate, or 'conscious,' sedation: medication given through an IV relaxes you into a drowsy, dream-like state while you keep breathing on…
A plastic surgery consultation typically includes a review of your medical history, a physical exam of the area you want treated, standardized photographs, and…
There is no single official average age for heart valve replacement, but most operations happen in people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s, because…
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