Is It Odd That my Plastic Surgeon Doesn't Require Lab Work? (photo)

      There is no evidence based medicine to support performing laboratory work prior to tummy tuck surgery in a young, heathy individual.

Usually for the healthy 23 year old patient the special blood work is not required for the surgery. However, every facility has its own requirements. Typically every patient 50 years old and older needs  EKG, CBC,  SMA-7 and also the  surgical clearance from the primary physician to undergo surgery under general anesthesia. Patients in this age group are considered higher risk; therefore for the safety all the precautions should take place. If the patient is under 50 years old and has some health issues usually surgeon will decide if the patient needs additional health check by his/her primary physician. Pregnancy test is usually all that is required for the HEALTHY under 50 patient.

It is clear that you still have several questions and do not feel completely comfortable with your consultation. With elective surgery it is important to feel like you will be well cared for throughout the surgical experience. Some patients find it helpful to have more than one consultation before making a decision about the procedure details and which surgical team they choose for their elective procedures. The opportunity to ask more questions and be reassured is before surgery. The decision to do lab work or other investigations prior to surgery is based on the findings during the consultation and is highly variable. For a tummy tuck I feel it is important to do some limited screening tests because this is considered a major operation by all Plastic Surgeons and Anesthesiologists.

Best Regards,

Dr. Mosher