Foot surgery is one of the main reasons why patients seek out Dr. Silverman for care, which is why we thought it would be beneficial to start a series that dives into a number of important aspects of the foot surgery process. We want you to be well-informed before you move forward with surgery and after the operation is complete, and we think this series can be an incredible resource for doing just that. We start the series by looking at some of the things Dr. Silverman wants you to know before surgery.
What To Know Before Foot Surgery
Before your airplane takes off, the flight crew takes 5-10 minutes to go through a number of different procedures. They cover very important topics, like what to do in the event of an emergency, and they cover relevant information, like whether or not a full menu is offered on the flight. This process ensures that all passengers are prepared before takeoff.
Unfortunately, not all patients get this same type of procedural information ahead of surgery. Their surgeon may explain what will happen during the operation, but even so, that’s really just the bare bones of what should be covered prior to surgery. Dr. Silverman has a similar pre-flight checklist that he goes through with all of his patients. Here’s a summary of what he covers:
Confirm Optimal Treatment – Surgery isn’t going to be recommended unless Dr. Silverman has performed an individual assessment and decided in conjunction with the patient that surgery is the optimal route. Oftentimes this decision comes after weeks or months of failed conservative efforts, as most physicians opt to avoid surgery if it is at all possible. We’re not going to recommend surgery unless we’re convinced it’s the right option for you.
What Procedure Is Being Performed – As we alluded to above, one of the essential talking points before a surgical procedure is explaining what operation will be performed. We’ll explain the ins and outs of the procedure well before surgery day.
Why The Procedure Is Being Performed – We also think it’s helpful to explain why we’re recommending this procedure. We’re not just going to say “This is the procedure that is recommended for your injury.” We’re going to explain why we believe the surgery is the best option for you and your specific needs.
What To Do Before Surgery – We’ll also explain what we want you to do in the weeks, days and hours leading up to surgery. We may have you perform some physical therapy exercises, we may have you work to control your blood glucose levels or we may have you adjust your medication routine as needed. We want you to feel prepared for surgery, and that only happens if we explain what you can do to get ready in the lead up to your operation.
Possible Risks And Complications – The flight crew touches on what you need to prepare for in the event something doesn’t go as planned, and we’ll do the same. We don’t expect any complications to arise, but you need to be aware of the possibility, and we’ll also explain how we’d deal with these issues should they develop.
Post-Surgery Recovery – We’ll go into greater detail about your rehab after surgery is complete, but we do want to explain what your recovery will entail and what we expect to see during your rehabilitation period. If you want to know when you’ll be able to walk, run, drive, play sports or return to work after surgery, we’ll cover that when we talk about your post-surgery recovery.
Your Goals – Finally, we always want to talk with the patient prior about their goals to any treatment. If you want to return to athletic competition or simply have less pain, your goals may end up dictating the best treatment plan. We want you to be confident in the care you’re receiving, and that only happens if we discuss your goals with you to ensure treatment matches your needs and wishes.
