Internal Medicine
Pre-Op Clearance
Pre-op clearance exams verify that you’re healthy enough for surgery while helping you feel confident about your procedure. The experienced providers offer careful, comprehensive exams so you are prepared for your upcoming surgery.
What is pre-op clearance?
Pre-op clearance is an exam that you have before a scheduled surgery. A pre-op clearance assesses your overall health and specific aspects of your health that are related to the condition or problem your surgery involves.
A pre-op clearance exam should reduce the risks of surgery and help you return to full function faster after surgery.
What happens during a pre-op clearance exam?
A pre-op clearance exam is similar to an annual physical. The focus, however, is on the reason for your surgery. This includes a general physical exam and some tests. You might need blood tests, chest X-rays, and cardiovascular health tests, like a stress test, to check for problems and measure your current health.
Depending on your age, overall health, risk factors, and current health problems, you could need additional tests to check your heart, lungs, and risk of developing an infectious disease.
What are the goals of pre-op clearance?
Pre-op clearance here has several goals, including:
- Documenting your condition
- Evaluating your health
- Checking for issues that could disrupt your surgery and recovery
- Evaluating your surgical risk level
- Improving your health before surgery
- Establishing a recovery plan
- Giving you information about your anesthesia, surgery, and recovery
During your pre-op clearance exam, you can ask questions about surgery prep, recovery, and planning as well. The ultimate goal is to make your surgery and recovery as smooth and easy as possible.
When should I book a pre-op clearance exam?
Generally, you’ll have a pre-op clearance sometime in the month before your surgery, usually at least two weeks ahead of the operation.
It’s important to schedule your exam promptly when your surgeon recommends it. Your surgeon and anesthesiologist both need accurate and current medical information to give you the best results.
Having your exam at least a couple of weeks before the surgery allows time for you and your surgeon to make any necessary changes to your surgery. This can include temporarily discontinuing certain medications, like blood thinners, changing your diet, and taking other measures.