Preparing for Surgery

Learn what questions to ask in advance, what to do at home, and more so you surgery can be as safe and successful as possible.
Knowing what to expect and how best to prepare for a surgery can not only help keep you safe and improve outcomes, but help you approach your procedure with more confidence.
Nurse getting ready to insert butterfly needle into patient's arm
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Surgeon tying his mask
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Surgeon talking to patient before surgery
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Hispanic female doctor smiling at patient being wheeled into operating room
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Close up of surgical tools and money
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Anesthetist in an operating room
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Dentist performing oral surgery
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Surgeon operating patient on table at hospital
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Surgeon talking to patient before surgery
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Nurse getting blood from on a female donor
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Patient with a respiratory mask on operating table
Why You Can't Eat or Drink Before Surgery
A doctor holding six blood tests
Taking Blood Thinners Before, During, and After Surgery
Surgeon and team position patient under xray machine
Why You Remove Piercings and Jewelry Before Surgery
Vials in lab
Chem 7 Panel: Blood Chemistry Test
Anesthetist administering gas to patient
Types of Anesthesia Used During Surgery
Automated blood sample testing in laboratory for healthcare screening.
What Your CBC Blood Test Results Say About Your Health
Surgeons performing surgery in operating room
Ways to Improve Your Surgery and Recovery
man staying in hospital
What to Pack for the Hospital
a surgeon putting on gloves
What to Do If You Need to Have Surgery While Traveling
Doctor attending patient at ICU
The Benefits of Quitting Smoking Prior to Surgery
woman getting sick on toilet
What to Do if You Get Sick Before Your Surgery
anesthesia
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Scalpel on surgical cloth, close-up
How to Decide If You Need Surgery
a person facing away from camera and holding a model of a kidney
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Nurse giving pill to a patient in hospital bed.
Common Medications Before, During, and After Surgery
Man talking to his doctor
How to Do a Bowel Prep for Colonoscopy or Surgery
Urinary catheter bag
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Vial of blood being picked up by a gloved hand
Understanding Common Blood Tests and What They Mean
woman going under Anesthesia
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Blood Sample Tube in Hand
Packed Red Blood Cell (PRBC) Transfusion
Administering drugs through a central line.
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A scientist viewing a blood sample under a microscope
Blood Work Tests You Can Expect Before Surgery
Blood test vials
Common Tests Before and After Surgery
patient talking to doctor
Important Questions to Ask Before You Have Surgery
Depression and Surgery Image
Understanding and Dealing With a Fear of Surgery
patient resting after surgery with doctor writing on a chart
How to Prepare for Your Surgery
man calculating bill
The Reasons Why Surgery Costs So Much
Anesthesia and Surgery Image
Vecuronium in Detail
Operating nurse soothing patient on table in operating room
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Surgeon consulting a patient, holding hands, getting ready for surgery
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explaining the operation
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Pensive adult black patient looking away to the window while lying down on hospital bed
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Three Surgeons in Scrubs and Protective Masks Look Down at a Patient on a Hospital Trolley
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prepare for gallbladder surgery
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Model of the eye.
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