What to ask your doctor before any elective surgery
Six questions every patient should ask before consenting to an elective procedure, written by a senior consultant.
Elective surgery is, by definition, a choice. The decision deserves to be informed. There are six questions every patient should ask before signing the consent form: What is the procedure intended to achieve, and what is the alternative if I wait? What is the realistic success rate at this institution, for my profile? What are the most common complications, and how are they managed here? How many of these procedures does my surgeon perform each year? What does recovery look like at one week, one month, and one year? Who do I call if something feels wrong after I go home?
If any of these answers are vague, that is itself information.