Many body contouring surgery procedures have a significant impact and stress on your system. Extreme weight loss patients are more likely than normal weight patients to have some changes in their blood chemistries as well as heart and lung issues that may impede healing and place their general health at risk. For these reasons, all extreme weight loss patients will require medical clearance by their primary care physician before surgery. It is critically important that any medical condition be identified and treated beforehand.
Many extreme weight loss patients see their physicians routinuely and get regular laboratory studies. The important laboratory tests to get or to have are a complete blood count (CBC), metabolic panel, bleeding time, and electrocardiogram. (EKG) The CBC evaluates the health of your white blood cells (fights infection), hemoglobin (oxygen-carrying capacity) and platelets. (helps clotting) Changes in normal for any of these blood cells will delay surgery until the reasons are found and corrected. The metabolic panel tests more than a dozen functions of your organs, most pertinently the levels of electrolytes (which help your heart and body work) and your protein and albumin levels. (which are indicators of your nutritional status) The bleeding time tests how long it takes for your blood to clot. (a critical issue when large segments of skin are being removed) The well known EKG tests the electrical activity of the heart, ruling out heart rhythm problems and evidence of past heart attacks. Any abnormalities in any of these tests are likely to require further testing.
As long as these tests have been performed within six months of your scheduled surgery, and the results are normal, no additional presurgical testing will be needed. With normal laboratory studies, your physician should be able to provide written medical clearance for your bariatric plastic surgery.
Dr Barry Eppley is a board-certified plastic surgeon in private practice in Indianapolis, Indiana at Clarian Health Systems. (http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com) He writes a daily blog on plastic surgery, spa therapies, and medical skin care at http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com |
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