Hospitalization
Having found out the facts and agreed to the operation, you are admitted to the hospital. You will have to fill out an admission form and a consent form.
The consent form states that you agree to the operation and that the details of the operation have been explained. The form also gives the surgeon permission to carry out any further procedure necessary if there is an unexpected complication. Permission for an operation can be given by you, if you are over the age of consent, or by a parent or guardian, if you are under this age.
If the patient is unconscious or mentally ill, consent must be obtained from the nearest relative or legal guardian. A surgeon may also be faced with an unconscious patient who is in need of urgent treatment and for whom permission cannot be obtained. This may be because the identity of the patient is not known or the next of kin is not available. In this situation, the surgeon has to make every effort to find someone who can give permission. If no one is available, the surgeon is under a moral, if not legal, duty to undertake any lifesaving surgery.
The day before surgery, an anesthesiologist will visit you to check the condition of your heart and lungs and ask if you have any allergies to drugs, adhesives, or other medications. A patient who is a heavy smoker may have to spend an extra day or two doing breathing exercises to try and eliminate mucus from the bronchial tubes and to help decrease the risk of pulmonary complications. Many surgeons ask their patients to stop smoking for at least two weeks before surgery. Some other tests may also be done.
