Preparing for surgery
Preparing for surgery is particularly important if we have other health conditions. Carrying extra weight increases the risks associated with general aneasthesia as well as problems after surgery such as blood clots and chest infections. Factors such as high blood sugars, smoking and poor nutrition can increase the chances of operation wounds becoming infected or failing to heal.
We can assess your risks and create a plan in time for surgery, including prescribing weight loss medicines or where safe, rapid weight loss interventions.
You can read more about how to optimise your health prior to surgery from The Centre for Peri-operative Care.
Your peri-operative preparation
Whether you are trying to lose weight and optimise health prior to an NHS operation or private day case surgery, we can support you to prepare and increase the chances of good outcomes.
Assessment
We will make a full assessment of your current medical issues, prescriptions and lifestyle factors including weight, cardiovascular risk and the operation you have been advised to have. We can make a fitness assessment, body composition analysis, metabolic risk assessment and general anaesthetic risk assessment. We will screen you for sleep apnoea and arrange testing if needed.
Treatment options
We can discuss lifestyle interventions and medicines which can reduce peri-operative risks. This may include intensive nutritional interventions, muscle strengthening programmes, weight loss interventions (including weight loss medicines if needed). We can discuss mental wellbeing strategies to deal with anxiety prior to surgery.