Health Viewpoints
Americans will undergo 9.2 surgical procedures in their lifetimes, according to the American College of Surgeons. Few of these patients will ever be told of the risks and responsibilities of being a surgical patient.
That’s an egregious oversight, according to our reporter, Amy Denney, who is wrapping up an original series, What You Need to Know About Surgery.
Before a passenger jet takes off, the flight attendants tell you about the risks of your flight and what you should do if something goes wrong. This includes your responsibilities as a passenger, such as leaving behind your bags if you have to exit and putting on your oxygen mask before you help anyone with theirs.
Surgery should come with a similar spiel. You should be told of the most common side effects, the surgery’s possible impacts on quality of life for people of your age and health condition, and what you can do if you don’t feel right after surgery.
Just like air passengers, surgical patients should be screened, and those who may be a higher risk should be screened more thoroughly.
After all, some patients just don’t handle surgery well. People who are frail, on multiple medications, or are of advanced years are often far better off not having surgery.
Surgery is like a boxing match. It takes a toll on the body. And if you aren’t up for it, but you need to have it, then you should get ready. Anyone who’s seen a Rocky movie knows how important it is to train before the big fight. The same goes for surgery. That training includes eating well, exercising, and getting the body ready for a deeply traumatic event.
Your body will typically be cut open—after all.
Training also involves the mind, since stress can be a deciding factor in how a surgery plays out. Stress changes the body, it turns on certain systems and turns off others, including the body’s recovery systems.
For many older patients, surgery can deliver lasting results that extend their golden years. For others, it hastens mortality and steals quality of life. The problem is the health care system is exceedingly poor at looking at the patient. Instead, it looks at the disease, and if the disease is present, surgery is recommended.
This systemic problem prompted Ms. Denney to take a deep dive into the implications of surgery and how to help people prepare. The series will be completed soon and provide an essential guide for anyone about to face the knife.
Part 1: What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Surgery
Part 2: Assessing Your Surgeon and Questions You Need to Ask
Part 3: How to Improve Your Odds in Surgery
Part 4: Your Stress State Impacts Surgical Outcome
Part 5: Prevent These Common Mistakes to Improve Surgical Recovery
Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.