When most people hear the term “epidural” they automatically think of an anesthetic used for childbirth. The reality, though, is that epidural anesthetics have a wide range of uses in surgery. Epidurals not only reduce pain, they also may improve outcomes from surgery for some patients. For that reason, epidurals are becoming more common for […] Read more »
One of the most feared complications of surgery is a blood clot that forms in the veins of the legs and travels to the arteries of the lungs. It’s called a “pulmonary embolus,” or PE. Even though hospitals and doctors do many things to prevent PEs, informed patients can play an important role as well. […] Read more »
Unless your operation is an emergency, you’ll see your surgeon at least once in the clinic before your surgery date. Usually, that visit happens at least a week or two before your operation. Your clinic visit is incredibly important: It’s where you and your surgeon will discuss your condition and decide what operation, if any, […] Read more »
In my last post, I talked about things you can do to lower your chances of having an infection after your operation. Now let’s talk about the signs and symptoms of infections and what to do if you experience them. Of course, infections come in all shapes and sizes, from pneumonia and urinary tract infections […] Read more »
One of the most serious complications of an operation is an infection. Having an operation increases your risk of infection in a number of ways. An incision makes it possible for bacteria to get through the protective layer of your skin and cause a wound infection. But having surgery can also mean having temporary catheters, […] Read more »
This is the next installment of re-postings of RxCreative founder Jonathan Kohler’s blog posts for the soon-to-fold Health Dialog Care Compass. Here, a guide for preparing kids for operations: There’s probably nothing that makes a parent more anxious than having a sick child in the hospital, except maybe having that child go to the operating […] Read more »
For two years, RxCreative founder Jonathan Kohler was a blogger for the Health Dialog Care Compass, a patient education site. Their blog has recently stopped publishing new content and may soon be taken down entirely, so we’ll be republishing his posts here. Look for the tag “care compass”. A Brief Introduction to the Medical Hierarchy […] Read more »