Preparing for Surgery

After completing all of the important diagnostic tests needed for your physician to determine what surgery is best for you, you will be asked to obtain specific lab tests to assess your general health and fitness for surgery. These lab tests can be done by your primary care doctor or through the pre-operative teaching center at Banner Desert Medical Center or Scottsdale Osborne Medical Center. These tests include:

• EKG of your heart
• Blood tests: blood count, clotting function, and renal function
• Urinalysis
• Possibly a chest x-ray

Once you have completed these tests, your physician will review the results and you may also be asked to meet with your primary care provider to review your health condition prior to surgery.  In some cases, heart evaluation by a cardiologist is needed prior to surgery. 

If you choose, you may also meet with hospital staff at Banner Desert Medical Center at “Pre-operative Teaching” to pre-register and obtain more information on where to park, where to enter the hospital and what to expect the day of surgery.

You can contact Pre-operative Teaching at Banner Desert Medical Center by calling (480) 512-3585 (option 2).