1. Know your anesthesia number. Reason: Procedures that involve sedation carry an inherent degree of risk based on one’s health, age, and medical history. First, confirm that a certified expert will perform your anesthesia. Then, request your ranking on a six-tier scale used by doctors and nurse anesthetists to assess and limit anesthesia risk. Finally, ask about pre-op lab tests to verify that your body can process anesthesia drugs properly.
2. Come clean about any pills you take. Reason: Your health is at stake. To avoid dangerous interactions, provide and discuss with the anesthesiologist a complete listing of your prescription and over-the-counter medications. Be sure to include vitamins, herbs, supplements, eye drops—everything.
3. Search for certificates. Reason: Not all surgical facilities are created equal. Make sure the surgical facility is Medicare-certified or accredited by the Joint Commission, AAAHC (Accredited Association for Ambulatory Health Care), AAAASF (American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities), or HFAP (Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program). Look for credentials on the wall or ask for proof at the front desk.
4. Quiz your surgeon. Reason: Unfortunately, there is no “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval” for physicians. Here are some questions to help you evaluate an individual’s education, training, and current competency:

1. How many (fill in the blank) procedures do you perform on an annual basis? (Tip: The more the better.)
2. Where do you have credentials to perform the surgery? (Tip: Hospitals and surgery centers have credentialing committees to ensure an individual is qualified to perform that particular procedure. Consider it a red flag if the physician can only perform surgery in their office facility.)
3. Do you participate in medical education programs? (Tip: Physicians on “the cutting edge” of their field often lecture and teach medical students and residents.)

Click here for more information and a video from the American Academy of Dermatology about selecting the right doctor for cosmetic procedures.

Safe-Surgery Checklist The Saturday Evening Post

M. Brown
Ohio

We contacted the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) about your unfortunate experience. Dr. William Camann, an anesthesiologist at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, Boston, explains:

“Hearing loss is a very rare but known side effect of surgery and anesthesia. It may also develop after surgery in people taking certain drugs (for example, some antibiotics).

The type of anesthesia and surgery being performed may influence the risk of developing hearing loss. Spinal (or epidural) anesthesia may change the circulation of fluid around the brain and spinal cord, causing some people to get a headache. It can also affect fluid within the ear, and may result in temporary or permanent hearing loss.

“Hearing loss has also been reported after cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass [a heart-lung machine]. Although the cause is unknown, it is possible that ‘microemboli,’ or small particles, can move into the bloodstream during the bypass portion of the operation. These particles may travel to blood vessels of the ear, and have an effect on hearing in one or both ears. Blood pressure alterations during bypass surgery may be another factor.”

Dr. Camann adds that concerns about individual cases should be referred to the anesthesiologists and/or surgeons involved in the actual case.

Surgery, Anesthesia, Hearing Loss The Saturday Evening Post