When you feel that you have a medical condition, your instant reaction is to research your symptoms on the Internet and make a conclusion based on what you read. Most of the time, this leads to misdiagnosing your illness, which results in senseless worrying or paranoia. That’s not to mention the tendency of not being able to medicate the real health issue.
When it comes to issues with your bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons, only orthopedic doctors, like OrthoVaughn, can precisely answer your questions since they can see your exact condition.
So, given a chance, what do you think are the questions you should ask an orthopedic surgeon before you go under the knife? Here are some examples:
What Is The Exact Procedure I Need To Undergo?
You are not expected to understand medical terms, especially if it is the first time you hear about them. That is why you have every right to ask your doctor to explain the procedure to you in layman’s terms. This is to ensure that you are physically, emotionally, and financially prepared for it.
Why Is The Procedure Necessary?
After explaining to you exactly what the procedure is all about, you can follow this up by asking why such a procedure is necessary. You need to know what the surgery needs to achieve and what its ultimate benefit is. Is it to relieve chronic pain, to correct a deformity, to improve looks, or to diagnose an underlying condition?
How Experienced Are You In Doing This Procedure?
As a patient, you need to ensure that you are going to be handled by a well-experienced surgeon. After all, you are not willing to shell out a significant amount of money to just be a mere lab test specimen, right? Having said that, you need the assurance that the success rate is almost perfect.
What Is The Expected Outcome?
While everybody wants a positive outcome, you also have to manage your expectations after the procedure. It is then the surgeon’s obligation to give you a heads-up of what you should anticipate post-operation.
Will the body part at issue be good as new after the procedure, or will there be some form of reduction in terms of functionality? These are critical pieces of information you need to know, primarily if a skill or livelihood of yours depends on the outcome.
What Are The Risks Involved?
Since your life is on the line every time you lie on the operating table, it is imperative that you know the odds of the surgery becoming successful or not. But, this becomes more crucial if there is a risk of dying on the table. No matter how small or remote the risks are, you should still know so you can decide if you are willing to take it or not.
What Are The Implications If The Procedure Is Not Done?
Whether or not the operation is minimally-invasive, you should be interested to know if you can get away with scrapping the idea of surgery altogether. If so, what are the consequences you might face? Let your doctor know that you appreciate knowing everything.
What Are The Types Of Anesthesia To Be Used?
There are several types of anesthesia that can be used during surgery, and, sometimes, patients are given a chance to choose whatever they prefer. This is because apart from the surgery itself, anesthesia also poses risks depending on your medical condition, age, and type of surgery. Some of the risks include obstructive sleep apnea, seizures, and even death.
Are There Any Other Options?
If you are to undergo a major surgery, you might be thinking, “Do I really need to do this?” Put such a thought into words by asking your orthopedic surgeon exactly just that. If you can do away with it, what can take its place and what are the pros and cons of the substitute procedure? These are some of the follow-up questions you can throw at your surgeon.
How Long Is The Recovery Period?
You need to know how long the downtime and actual recovery is. Especially if you are expected to go back to work after some time, you should be concerned about the amount of rest you ought to take and the rehabilitation that you have to go through. This is also an important factor in choosing whether to stick with the original surgical plan or opt for the more conservative approach that won’t hamper much of your productivity.
How Much Will The Cost Be?
Perhaps, the most crucial question of all is how much will the surgery cost. Procedures pertaining to the musculoskeletal system are typically expensive, so you need to know if you can afford it or if your insurance will cover any part or all of it.
Parting Words
Your doctor is your ally, not your adversary, so there’s no reason why you would trust the Internet more than the actual medical specialist. With this, ask as many questions as you want because your medical decisions rely on the information they impart. Also, according to The Hospitalist, good communication between the patient and the doctor results in less likelihood of court litigation for medical malpractice.
Being a patient entitles you to every little detail about the surgical and postoperative plan. After all, it’s your body and your well-being that’s at stake.
