Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Surgery Smarts
(HealthScoutNews) --All surgery carries risks, so it's best to know as much as you can before hopping onto an operating table.
In addition to getting a second opinion, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality suggests you ask your physician these questions:
- Why do I need the operation?
- Are there alternatives to surgery? I encourage people to look into acuputure, body work and activator chiropratic...while others swear by homeopathic and naturapathic techniques.
- How will surgery benefit me?
- What are the risks?
- What are the risks for not having the surgery?
- How many of these operations have you performed before? Interview you surgeon. Do you trust a "D" student to literlly handle your heart or brain or knee? Does your surgeon have references? You expect them from your maid or babysitter.
- What kind of anesthesia will I need?
- Where will the surgery be done?
- How long will it take me to recover?
- How much will it cost?
- I also encourgae people to get a personal testionmonial from at least one of their sugoen's former patient who survived the same procedure