Preoperative Cosmetic Surgery Tests

Before you are able to have cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery or any other form of planned (elective) surgery, your surgeon will require you to undergo a series of preoperative medical tests, also known as a preoperative assessment.

The purpose of this examination is to ensure that you are fit and healthy enough to undergo your cosmetic surgery safely, and that the right drugs or medications can be given to you so as to minimize the risk of complications occurring during and after your surgical procedure.

The types of medical tests that will be performed on you largely depend on the type of surgery that you are having done, your age and the current condition of your health. In general, you can expect to have more tests the older you are, the more invasive or complicated your cosmetic surgery is and the worse your level of health is.

Why Preoperative Cosmetic Surgery Tests Are Important

Although you may not like the idea of having preoperative tests carried out before your cosmetic surgery, it is extremely important that you have them done because they will help to make your surgery a lot safer and reduce the risk of something going wrong.

People have, for example, died as a result of having cosmetic surgery due to an adverse reaction to anesthesia or as a result of an underlying medical condition, such as a blood clotting disorder, that the surgeon was not aware of before operating on the patient.

All reputable cosmetic surgeons, will therefore usually require you to undergo some kind of medical examination, and will not operate on you until you have had those tests done and your surgeon is satisfied with the lab test results they receive.

Be very careful of cosmetic surgeons who do not require preoperative examinations or who offer you a reduced/discounted fee for skipping preoperative tests, as this could seriously put your life in danger and probably indicates that the surgeon is not board certified.

Preoperative Tests For Cosmetic Surgery

Below are listed some of the most common preoperative tests that you may need to undergo before having cosmetic surgery. It is important to note however, that your surgeon may not require you to undergo all of these tests as different people may need to be tested for different things depending on their age, level of health and the type of procedure that they are having done.

If you are concerned about having any of these tests done, it is a good idea to speak with your cosmetic surgeon during your consultation meeting with them as they will be able to explain more about why each test is being carried out.

Finally, the costs of any preoperative tests that you have done will usually be included in the final cost of your surgery, although some cosmetic surgeons may require you to pay for the tests that you have done before you have your cosmetic surgery procedure.

Blood Count

A blood count test or complete blood count (CBC) counts your red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets to determine if you are anemic, if you have a blood clotting disorder or if you have any kind of disease.

Such tests are necessary if your cosmetic surgery involves an invasive procedure, because there will be some degree of blood loss as a result of the incisions that your surgeon will need to make. Blood disorders such as haemophilia for example, could potentially result in death as a result of uncontrolled bleeding, so it is vital that such disorders are picked up before the surgery begins.

If you are discovered to have anemia, then you will probably need to take iron supplements before your surgeon agrees to operate on you. They will only do so after a follow-up blood test to make sure that the supplements you have been taking have successfully reversed your anemic condition.

Blood tests can also be carried out to test for the presence of white blood cells, as this may be an indication of an infection within the body. This is especially important if you are having an implant inserted, such as a breast implant, to avoid the risk of the breast tissue becoming infected.

For most young healthy adults under the age of 30, a blood count is usually not required. You are most likely to require a complete blood count if you are over 30 or 40 and have a family history of anemia, a blood clotting disorder and/or are taking any kind of prescription medication.

Chemistry Panel

This preoperative cosmetic surgery test measures the levels of various chemicals in your blood such as sodium, potassium and glucose. If you have abnormal levels of these chemicals, it may indicate a disorder such as diabetes or an electrolyte imbalance which the surgeon needs to be aware of as these can cause complications during surgery and may even be life threatening.

A chemistry panel test can be carried out if you are having liposuction surgery done, as the fluid used during a liposuction procedure could potentially disrupt your electrolyte balance.

Sometimes your electrolytes may become unbalanced as a result of taking diuretics or having diarrhea, and so this is something that will need to be addressed by your surgeon before they operate on you. In the case of an electrolyte imbalance, this will usually involve you consuming some kind of electrolyte containing fluid prior to your cosmetic surgery procedure.

Electrocardiogram

An electrocardiogram (ECG) will reveal if there are any irregularities with the beating of your heart. If you are over 40 years of age, then your cosmetic surgeon will probably require you have this test.

This preoperative test is very important, as your heart needs to be strong enough to survive the stress of your surgery. Heart irregularities are most likely to occur with advanced age, with people who smoke and if you have any underlying medical disorders such as diabetes, obesity or cardiovascular disease.

Chest X-Ray

A chest X-ray can be used to determine whether you have congestive heart failure, pneumonia or any other type of breathing disorder. The discovery of such conditions may cause your cosmetic surgery to be postponed or even cancelled.

Chest X-rays can be carried out if you are having breast surgery or pectoral implants. If you are a smoker, then you may also require a chest X-ray to check the condition of your lungs and to ensure that you won’t have any breathing difficulties when you are put to sleep with anesthesia.

Pregnancy

If you suspect that you might be pregnant, you will be asked to undergo a pregnancy test. If you are discovered to be pregnant, your cosmetic surgeon will most likely not operate on you as anesthesia could potentially put the developing fetus at risk.

Urinalysis

A urinalysis involves analyzing a sample of your urine to detect for infections of the urinary tract (UTI) and kidneys, which women are more at risk of than men.

A urinalysis can also detect other abnormalities such as diabetes and high blood pressure (hypertension)

Mammogram

Mammograms are generally performed as standard for women who are undergoing cosmetic breast surgery to check for breast cancer and other abnormalities of the breast.