No blood tests required for VASER in AU? Is this common?

Question

I’m having VASER and my doctor told me bloods will not be required, I left it at that during the consultation but I assumed blood tests are always needed prior to any surgery so I called the clinic n spoke to the nurse and she told me In Australia bloods at not required before Vaser but couldn’t say why, that answer didn’t sit well with me. Is it common to perform Vaser on a patient with no med history without requesting bloods? Thanks

Kenneth Brito, MD · Answer

It depends on the doctor’s clinical judgement whether blood test is required. However, most day surgeries/ operating theatres will require blood test screening before any surgical procedure. This is to prevent any untoward incidences (both surgical and anaesthetic). It decreases the risks of unexpected risks and also provides a good baseline in case patient becomes unwell for any reason.
I normally request for pre-op blood tests for all my surgical patients.

Jack G. Bertolino, MD · Answer

Lab testing should depend on the patients health and medical history, as well as how the doctor feels. Most people don't need testing for this procedure. I check a bleeding time (PT/ PTT/ INR). This is a simple blood test to check for clotting abnormalities. This is my way of doing things, but it is not part of the standard of care. Talk with your provider and get their take knowing your health status. Hope this is helpful to you. jb

W. John Bullis, MD · Answer

That's a great question and one that a lot of us doctors scratching our heads too.  In my career, I have gone from ordering lots of "routine" pre-operative labs, to some, and now, to none.  The main point of ordering pre-op labs is to prove that the patient does not have an underlying medical problem that we didn't know about.  Rarely, do these turn anything up.  For cosmetic procedures in healthy patients, my current routine is to order no pre-operative labs, with the one exception being in women who either have a history of anemia or those who state that they have heavy or frequent menstrual cycles.  In those cases, I will order a complete blood count (CBC), or, at minimum, an "H&H" (hemoglobin and hematocrit) to make sure she is not currently anemic, as that could be a reason to postpone surgery, if it is severe enough.  Obviously, if anything of concern is uncovered in reviewing the medical history, then lab testing may be very appropriate, but for a healthy person undergoing uncomplicated cosmetic surgery, "routine" labs are really not indicated.  More and more doctors seem to be taking that view lately, but like anything, you will likely get differing opinions on that.

Dennis Wolf, BScHons, MBBCh, MRCSEd · Answer

Hi there, 
yes that is fairly common practice also in the UK.  NICE guidelines for pre-op blood tests only really require those with prior contributory medical history or other risk factors to have these done.

Guang (Sam) Qin, MBBS, MS · Answer

Thank you for your question. It is not mandatory in Australia for blood tests to be ordered prior to Vaser Liposuction, and it is each surgeon's preference if they do or not. In my clinic we routinely order pre-op blood work so we may be aware of increased risks and contraindications.

No blood tests required for VASER in AU? Is this common?

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No blood tests required for VASER in AU? Is this common?

Answers (7)

Answer: Blood tests before VASER

Answer: Blood tests before VASER

Answer: Vaser liposuction

Answer: Vaser liposuction

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Everything you need to know about Vaser Liposuction

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.