Pre op appointment but no date for surgery

rocketqueen

I had a hospital appointment on Wednesday and was told I needed surgery, I was so shocked I forgot to ask a time frame as to how long away that might be.

Today (Friday) I have received the date for the pre op assessment.

Is it normal to receive the appointment for the pre op before knowing when the surgery will take place? As I had 3 operations 10 years ago and I was first given the date of the operation and then pre op was booked for a few days before.

If anyone has had their pre op booked before receiving date for operation how long was the surgery after the pre op?

Thank you

debsy42

You need the pre-op to see if you're fit for surgery, if you're ok then you'll be contacted with a date for surgery.



Impossible to say how long you'll wait as different hospitals will have different waiting times however no harm in ringing in and seeing how long the wait might be.

System

I believe (I could be wrong) that the pre-op assessment is only 'valid' for a few weeks. In other words the op needs to take place within a few weeks after the pre-op, otherwise the pre-op will need to be done again. This is to make sure that you're still fit for surgery.

Sncjw

They will need to ensure your ok for it. Also depending on surgery they need to do some tests to make sure the surgery goes well.

You will likely need Mrsa swabs If they come back positive you will need to do the treatment before given a date.

It!!!8217;s just to check your ok and prevents slots being booked for people who can!!!8217;t go ahead and not being able to use them for people who can.

They may give you a date there. Each hospital is different

FabFifty

I had my pre-op four months before surgery. It's basically just to see that you are indeed fit for surgery.

carlislelass

avogadro wrote: »

I believe (I could be wrong) that the pre-op assessment is only 'valid' for a few weeks. In other words the op needs to take place within a few weeks after the pre-op, otherwise the pre-op will need to be done again. This is to make sure that you're still fit for surgery.

6-8 weeks at our hospitals, after that you need another pre-op assessment

wondercollie

I'm one of the nurses that does pre-op assessment and education.

We see our people anywhere from one day to one month before surgery.

Our health authority has a page on it's website that gives you an idea of how long the weight is for any specific surgery.

Having said that it seems that if you show up in an emergency ward often enough, you can "jump" the queue for surgery. My husband waited six months to have his gallbladder out (and didn't require pre-op assessment) while patients half his age showed up in emergency three or four times and had the duty doctor admit them for surgery for their gall bladders. Even had one tell me that she wasn't feeling any pain but knew that if she whimpered enough, she'd get done faster!

pmduk

I got my date for surgery at the pre-op assessment.

suzyjane

I guess you don’t want to hear this but in the past I have needed operations and both times it was almost a year between my pre-op assessments and my operations. The surgeons told me that it is completely fine and normal to wait that long. This was in Plymouth so I really hope you don’t have to wait so long. x

suzyjane

I also saw a surgeon this week regrding more surgery - he told me the waiting list is 9 months - so at least February next year. Yesterday I got an appointment for a pre-op assessment in July - that will make it 8 moths from my predicted surgery date x

suzyjane

I mean months not moths lol xx