Pre-operative Diagnostics

Pre-operative diagnostics answers a simple question. Is your body ready for the planned procedure and the anaesthesia? To assess this properly, we look at several levels, calmly and on one day.

We begin with a detailed conversation about your history, your known conditions, earlier operations and your experiences with anaesthesia. This is followed by the physical examination. We listen to the heart and lungs, check your circulation and your blood pressure and form a picture of your general condition.

Then comes the resting ECG, which shows us how your heart beats and whether there are signs of rhythm disturbances or strain. If your history or your procedure suggests it, we add further targeted examinations, such as a more detailed assessment of the heart function.

The blood values round out the picture. We check, among other things, the clotting, the blood count, the kidney and liver values and the blood sugar, exactly the values that are important for the operation and the anaesthesia. This builds a complete picture of your internal and cardiac fitness that your surgeon and your anaesthetist can rely on.

We explain every finding to you in clear words. You should not leave the practice with question marks, but understand what we have measured and what it means for your procedure.

A good pre-operative check is more than a collection of measured values. It is about making sense of the results and turning them into an honest assessment of your operative risk.

We bring together your prior conditions, your current values and the type of your procedure. From this we derive what your surgical team should pay particular attention to and whether something can still be optimised before the procedure, such as blood pressure that is too high or poorly controlled blood sugar.

Your medication is especially important. Many people take medications regularly, and some of them play a major role before an operation. Blood thinners, for example, often have to be adjusted in good time, as do certain medicines for diabetes or high blood pressure. We go through your list together and discuss clearly what you should take or pause and when.

We always coordinate these recommendations with your treating team. You receive from us clear guidance for the days before the operation, so that you do not have to guess. If anything remains unclear, you can contact us instead of waiting in uncertainty.

This way you go into your procedure well prepared, with the knowledge that your values have been checked and your medications sensibly adjusted.

At the end of your appointment there is a concrete result. You receive a structured report that contains exactly what your surgical team needs.

In it we summarise your history, the results of the examination, the ECG and the blood values. We describe our risk assessment and our recommendation regarding clearance for anaesthesia from an internal and cardiac point of view. We also record the notes on your medications in writing.

The report is written so that your surgeon and your anaesthetist see the important points at a glance. That saves time on the operation day and avoids queries that could delay your procedure.

You receive the report promptly, so that it is available in good time before the procedure. On request we forward it directly to the treating institution, or you take it with you yourself. You need no referral for this, and you also do not have to wait long for an appointment.

It is important to us that you do not just take away a stack of paper, but understand what is in it. Our experienced team takes the time to explain the central points to you and to answer your questions. This way you are not only formally cleared, but also feel safe and well informed on the way into your operation.

We know that an upcoming operation can be a burden. That is why we make the pre-operative check as calm and predictable as possible.

You contact us, entirely without a referral, and get an appointment within 48 hours. This is especially important when the operation day is already fixed and time is pressing. If possible, bring your medication list, earlier findings and the operation date, then we can make sense of everything precisely.

For the appointment itself we take 60 minutes. In this time we discuss your history, examine you, record the ECG and take blood. You do not have to commute between several practices, because we bundle the internal and the cardiac assessment in one place.

We explain to you during the appointment what we are doing and why. If you have worries or questions, there is room for them. You should not have the feeling of being pushed through a programme, but of being perceived as a person with a concrete situation.

As soon as the results are in, we discuss them with you and you receive your report. Should additional steps be necessary, we clarify this together and take the organisation off your hands as far as possible.

Our aim is simple. You should go into your operation well prepared, without unnecessary stress and with a reliable report.

Do I need a referral for the pre-operative assessment? No. You can contact us directly and usually get your appointment within 48 hours.

How long does the appointment take? We plan 60 minutes, so that there is enough time for conversation, examination, ECG and blood draw. When should I have the check done?

As early as possible before the planned procedure, so that findings are available in good time and medications can be adjusted if needed. What should I bring to the appointment? Your medication list, earlier findings and the planned operation date, if available, help us make sense of everything precisely.

Do I have to be fasting before the blood draw? That depends on the planned values. We tell you clearly at the time of booking whether you should come fasting.

What happens with my medications? We go through your list together and give you clear guidance on what you should take or pause before the operation, coordinated with your treating team. Do I get a report for my surgeon?

Yes. You receive a structured report with a risk assessment and a recommendation regarding clearance for anaesthesia, which you can take with you or which we forward directly on request.