Wednesday, April 24, 2013

What to Research Before Surgery



In most cases surgery should be your last option when trying to treat a condition if there are less invasive options available.  At Rosa Family Chiropractic of Alexandria we try to treat conditions through safe and effective treatments to eliminate pain and fix the problem.  In some cases surgery is needed and it is important you do all the research you can.  I want to share some great questions I found if you are considering surgery. 

Questions before you decide to have the surgery
1.      What type of surgery are you recommending? Why?
2.      What is the source of the pain that is being addressed? How do you know this? (Exploratory back surgery is not done).
3.      Please explain the procedure - at a very high level/with some detail/in great detail. 
4.      What are my non-surgical options?
5.      What is the natural course of my condition if it is not surgically addressed?
6.      What would you recommend if this were your friend/wife/sister/daughter etc…?
7.      How long will the surgery take?
8.      What are side effects, potential risks and complications?
9.      Please explain the risks and how they relate to me personally. 
10.    What if you get in there and see something different than you expected?
11.   Do I need to donate my own blood? If yes, why? 
12.    Do you perform the whole procedure? Will any students/other surgeons be doing any parts of the operation? If yes, who are they and what are their qualifications? 
13.   Who else will assist you in the operation? What is their background and qualifications?
14.  What are the long-term consequences of the proposed procedure? 

 Questions about the surgeon
15.   How many times have you done this procedure? 
16.   Are you board eligible or board certified? 
17.    Are you fellowship trained in spine surgery? 
18.   If I want to get a second opinion, who would you recommend?
19.    Statistically the success rate for this type of surgery is _%. What is your personal success rate, and how many of this type of surgery have you done?
20.   Can I talk to other patients who have had a similar procedure?

A surgeon that is defensive when you ask these questions may raise a red flag.  A surgeon with good results and qualified to do the procedure will not be threatened with these questions.

The surgeon may recommend conservative treatment such as chiropractic or physical therapy.  We have helped a number of patients that were thinking surgery as their next option.  Schedule an appointment today to find out if we can help!


Full article found at: http://www.spine-health.com/blog/38-questions-ask-your-surgeon-having-back-surgery



If you have more questions about our services, contact us at 703-750-1177 or sign-up at www.RosaChiropracticAlexandria.com for a free consultation! 


5249 Duke St, Suite 301

Alexandria, VA 22304

703-750-1177


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