Diagnostic Units
Preoperative Assessment
What is a preoperative assessment?
Preoperative assessment consists of a medical evaluation of the patients to determine their risk exposure to a planned intervention.
What is it about?
A correct preoperative evaluation should include:
- A review of past medical history: previous diseases or previous surgery, medical treatment, drinking or smoking habits, allergies or adverse reactions to medications, symptoms that may suggest a cardiac or respiratory disease reactions.
- Evaluation of height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation.
- Full physical examination.
What tests should be performed?
- Blood tests: blood count, biochemical parameters and coagulation tests.
- Electrocardiogram.
- Chest X ray..
If a health problem is detected in the process of evaluation, our team will determine the need to request additional tests, such as colour Doppler echocardiography, lung function tests, chest CT, abdominal ultrasound scan, etc.
It will also assess medication adjustments (eg discontinue aspirin or Sintrom) and thromboembolic prevention measures, antibiotic prophylaxis or chest physiotherapy.
The final evaluation will set an anaesthetic risk according to the American Society of Anaesthesiologists classification.