Relevant Questions To Ask Before You Go For Neurosurgery
Getting surgery proves to be a very big deal for us. And when it comes to neurosurgery, different things can appear in mind. Although people take help from a wide range of surgical operations, neurosurgery looks like a giant name. A lot of things are attached to it. Firstly it deals with one of the most complicated and sensitive organs of the body. Secondly, a person finds himself uncomfortable after thinking about its potential risks, and complications, and how to deal with such affairs.
But, if you have been recommended for neurosurgery, don’t panic too much. If there are concerns or doubts in mind, it is better to clear them with your surgeon. Asking questions from the one who is preparing your surgical plan will clear many of your doubts. Now, this is a fact that many of us aren’t aware of what needs to be asked in such scenarios. And well, this is obvious because surgeries do not come often in our lives. In this blog, the team of Mewar Hospital will tell you about some necessary questions that you can put in front of the surgeon.
Let’s begin with the queries that you can raise before the surgery.
Before Surgery
1. Why do I need surgical help?
This is one of the important questions to raise. Surgery is typically counseled when all the non-surgical options fail to work in the patient’s favor. However, some cases are noticeable in the department of neurosurgery where a patient needs immediate medical help, like a stroke. And if surgery has been recommended, make sure to ask how it will make positive changes to your health.
2. Can you tell me the risks and complications involved with this surgery?
Almost every surgical method contains some risks and complications. But generally, doctors handle it with relevant measures. Although, it is important to know what kind of troubles can occur. If you’re already aware of the complications or risks, it will help in reaching the doctor quickly and taking relevant treatment on time.
3. What will the benefits of getting this surgical procedure?
It is important to have an understanding of how the surgery will benefit you. Try to be clear to ask about how much the benefits will last. Don’t hesitate in knowing about the long-term success rate of your operation. A lot of surgeries can deliver benefits till a person is alive. While there are situations where you may require another one after a particular interval.
4. What kind of anesthesia will I get in the operation?
You also need to be clear about what kind of anesthesia will you get during the operation. Generally, three kinds of anesthesia are used in the surgeries; local, regional and general. With the help of anesthesia, a person will have a loss of feeling and awareness and he will not feel pain during the procedure. Apart from knowing the kind of anesthesia, also ask who will be there to administer the anesthesia, i.e., an anesthesiologist or a nurse anesthetist. You can also ask about their experience in such procedures.
5. What kinds of tests will I need to go through before the operation?
The surgeon will begin the process of surgery after knowing the health information of the patient. For that, he may supervise some tests to diagnose and detect the condition. Make sure to ask about the kinds of tests that will come into use along with their outcomes.
6. What kind of procedure will take place in the operation?
Apart from knowing other things, make sure to ask about the step-by-step process of your surgery. You can ask how will the procedure begin, when will anesthesia take place, how long will he make a cut, and other relatable things. Also, ask whether you are going through minimally invasive surgery or a traditional one. This is because, after several advancements in technologies, a lot of cases can settle with the help of minimally invasive techniques that involves numerous benefits.
7. What is your experience in performing this kind of surgery?
This is probably a question you should ask clearly. In India, you can find a number of neurosurgeons, but all of them differ in terms of experience and success rates. If a person is dealing with neurosurgery, he should choose a professional that holds a higher number of surgeries along with positive results. So, it is advised to remember this topic in mind not only in neurosurgery but also during other surgical procedures. Apart from all these things, you can also ask about the complication rate of the surgeon.
8. Is there any option left apart from surgery?
As indicated in the upper segment, surgery is generally recommended when other treatment options don’t give satisfactory outcomes. The surgeon will surely try other treatment options. If they don’t work and the situation is turning out to be worse, a person may need to prepare his mind for a surgical procedure. However, you can talk about several forms of treatments that can come into use for treating a specific problem.
9. How long will the procedure take place?
The time of operation can vary based on the type and complication. Still, the surgeon can tell you about the expected time. It is said that a surgical operation must be done within a shorter period of time so the chances of infection will reduce. However, it is also based on the kind of procedure chosen by the surgeon as minimally invasive practices are done within a shorter period as compared to traditional surgeries.
10. What will be the cost of this surgery?
Dealing with surgery of the neurology department requires a healthy amount. You may even need to prepare some lakh rupees for the overall procedure. However, a lot of things like medical insurance and facilities given by the government can make a big difference in the numbers. But yes, that is a very important question to raise in order to have a clear idea about the expenditure.
11. How can I attempt to make this operation successful?
Sometimes, things can go wrong due to a lack of awareness and care by the patient and his family. You need to be prepared while dealing with such a sensitive event of life. While undergoing neurosurgery, make sure to ask the surgeon about the dos and don’ts. You need to be clear about what needs to be done and what should be seriously avoided.
12. Can I get another opinion regarding surgery?
Taking suggestions from another surgeon is handy as it can clear some doubts from the patient’s mind. The neurosurgeon who is dealing with your case must co-operate with you in a second opinion with someone who has solved the same case with perfection earlier. However, it may not be necessary in every case if you take help from an experienced and renowned surgeon having a record of successful surgeries.
Now, let’s move on to some questions that need to be asked after the completion of the surgery.
After Surgery
1. How much time will I need to stay in the hospital?
If surgery is supposed to be minimally invasive, you can go home the same day or the next one. If the surgery involves a longer time and complications are there, the surgeon can recommend staying for some days. Therefore, depending on the patient’s health, type of surgery, and a few other things, you’ll need to stay under the surgeon’s guidance. If you ask this question in front of the doctor, he can support you by telling some other useful information.
2. How much time will it take for complete recovery?
This again mostly depends on the type of surgery you’ll get along with your health after the completion of surgery. Sometimes, it can take some weeks or maybe multiple months. So, make sure to take an idea from the surgeon and follow his directions carefully.
3. What will be the limitations post-surgery?
You may need to limit certain activities for a longer time. This may include daily-life activities like walking, jogging, running, or going up or down stairs. Various sports-related activities and exercises may also need to be avoided for a specific interval. Follow the suggestions of your surgeon carefully to get a speedy and healthy recovery.
4. What kinds of symptoms are obvious after surgery?
Sometimes, even if the surgery turns out to be completely successful, it can show some symptoms like pain. Although some other complications can also arise. But generally, they aren’t supposed to be hazardous as they can be solved under the supervision of the surgeon. Still, don’t be shy to ask this question to the surgeon so you could get in touch with them with immediate effect if you notice something unusual.
5. After how much time will I restart my usual activities?
It also depends on the health condition of the patient. A lot of activities are impacted after the surgery. Still, try to know the expected time so it may help you in preparing futuristic plans.
6. What kinds of medicines will I need to take?
Even after the surgery gets over and you return home, there can be a necessity to take some medicines for some time. It may be possible to stop taking some medicines which are guided earlier for a health condition so they don’t lead to any other complications.
Conclusion
We hope you would have taken a lot of ideas from this blog. Now, if you feel something wrong with your health that requires help from a neurosurgeon, please visit Mewar Hospital. We are ready to facilitate you with our experienced neurosurgeon that can help you in more than a dozen of cases. For any other queries, please contact our centers or take help from the helpline numbers.
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