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Questions to ask your cardiac surgeon before heart surgery

If you have a heart disease that requires immediate treatment through surgery, your anxiousness and nervousness must obviously be above the rooftops. Our heart is one of the most important organs in our bodies; however, it could be the most commonly affected organ for those who follow an unhealthy lifestyle. A cardiac surgeon performs life-saving surgery on patients. While patients never forget to ask for precautions to take after heart surgery, do they show same sort of inquisitiveness before the surgery.

Before patients could develop trust in their doctor, they should ask certain questions to them to clarify any of their doubts and concerns.

  1. What is your disease and how will the surgery fix it

Hospital - surgery team in the operating room or Op of a clinic operating on a patient, perhaps it's an emergency

Before you enter the operation theater, anticipation and nervousness are expected to be sky high. This too can affect your blood pressure, which has to stay stable before the surgery to avoid unnecessary complications. You can control your anxiousness to a great degree by being familiar with your condition and the procedure that will be done to treat it. You can ask your cardiac surgeon to explain you diagrammatically if required, the extent of your disease and exactly how the surgery will cure it.

  1. Possible complications and recurrences

Nurse checking woman's heartbeat

You must enquire about potential complications that may arise; and how the team will handle the situation. Make sure that a backup team with immediate equipment and skills is there to help relieve any complications that might arise during the procedure. You must be well informed about the post-surgical complications too and how you can work toward avoiding them. You must also ask the doctor if this will be the only surgery or if there is a possibility of more surgeries in the future that you might require.

  1. Long-term outcomes

Portrait of successful doctor showing her stethoscope.

Discuss the possible short and long-term effects that the surgery might have. Knowing if this is the best treatment option can help you choose better treatment choices. When your doctor has explained the long-term and short-term outcomes with you, you know exactly where to place your expectations. You may also get information on alternative methods of treatment and their success or failure rates. This helps you in deciding whether you really wish to go for the surgery directly or if you want to try alternative methods before going in for the big leap.

  1. Lifestyle changes and precautions

Two Surgeons Operating On A Patient

It will be wise to enquire about the possibility of delaying the surgery by adopting a different lifestyle if you do not wish to go for the surgery straight away. Your hospital will also inform you about the lifestyle changes that you will have to follow in the recovery period and after that to maintain a healthy life and prevent undue complications or recurrences. You will be guided on how to prepare your body in the few days that lead up to the surgery.

  1. Total cost

Young women with one dollar

Heart surgeries are major surgeries that require top-quality skills as you are entrusting your surgeon with your life. After the main surgery, patients usually spend many days in observation and recovery before the hospital authority declares them fit to be dismissed from the hospital. All this is obviously going to cost you a lot of money, especially if you are uninsured. A great way to save about 30-50% on the cost of treatment is by researching and opting for medical tourism facilities like Obligo Medivoyage.

Summary

Before you are driven to the operation room and the team starts working on you to fix your heart, you must research and make sure that all your doubts are answered. By opting for well tourism options and booking packages in top hospitals, patients are provided with a great way of communicating directly with their specialist doctor and decrease their anxiety.

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