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Some Additional Evaluations that MAY Be Recommended Prior to Surgery Include:
Complete Blood Count (CBC) and Chemistry Panel blood tests, and Urinalysis (UA). Often, a blood glucose test is done for diabetes. Other tests include pulmonary function testing, Right Upper Quadrant ultrasound, Echocardiogram, Sleep studies, GI evaluation, Cardiology evaluation, and Psychiatric evaluation.
A Complete Blood Count, also called a CBC, provides information about the kinds and numbers of cells in the blood. From these results, doctors can evaluate and diagnose conditions such as anemia or infection.
A urinalysis will measure several different components of urine and help assess kidney function.
A chemistry screen gives your doctor information about minerals and enzymes in your blood. It helps assess organ function of your liver, kidney, and other vital organs.
A blood glucose test measures the amount of glucose in the patient’s blood. A blood glucose test is used to help assess if a patient has diabetes.
An electrocardiogram, also known as ECG or EKG, provides information related to heart rhythm and rate. It is used as a primary test in diagnosing cardiovascular disease.
An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart. It is a non-invasive test that provides an accurate and rapid visual of the heart that allows a cardiologist to evaluate the function of the heart and assess whether your heart can withstand the stress of surgery.
What is the purpose of all these tests?
A clear picture of your health is needed before surgery. It is important to test your thyroid function since hypothyroidism can lead to sudden death after surgery. If you are diabetic, special steps must be taken to control your blood sugar. Because surgery increases cardiac stress, your heart will be tested. These tests will show if you have liver malfunction, breathing difficulties, excess fluid in the tissues, abnormalities of the salts or minerals in body fluids, or abnormal blood fat levels.
Why do I need to have a sleep study?
The sleep study looks for abnormal stopping of breathing because the airway is blocked when the muscles relax during sleep. After surgery, you will be given pain-killing drugs, which affect normal breathing and reflexes. Airway blockage becomes more dangerous at this time. It is important to predict patients at risk for breathing problems after surgery, for a safe recovery after surgery.
Why do I need to have a GI evaluation?
Patients who have gastrointestinal symptoms, such as upper-abdominal pain, heartburn, belching sour fluid, etc., may have problems such as a hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or peptic ulcer disease. For example, many patients have symptoms of reflux and up to 15 % of these patients may show early changes in the lining of the esophagus, which could be an early sign of esophageal cancer. It is important to identify these changes so that an appropriate treatment plan can be developed.
Why do I need to have a psychiatric evaluation?
Bariatric surgery will affect you for the rest of your life, so this is a decision that requires a lot of serious thought. Most psychiatrists will look at your understanding of the risks and complications of bariatric surgery and evaluate your support mechanisms. For example, many are “emotional eaters” and would benefit from learning different coping mechanisms. Also, our mental health specialists can help address emotional issues that may be contributing to obesity. For many people, the results are positive, but successful treatment takes dedication and commitment to a lifelong lifestyle change. Our psychiatrists are one of many facets of our care that will ensure that you have the most successful outcome.
What impact do my medical conditions have on the decision for bariatric surgery, and how can the medical problems affect risk?
Medical problems, such as serious heart or lung problems, can increase the risk of any surgery. On the other hand, patients with these problems are the ones that benefit the most from weightloss surgery.
