Iron and B12 Levels; Will they cancel surgery if they find my levels are low/deficient?

My question to you is that since YOU knew you have a history of low B-12 and Iron levels, is this being treated? And why wouldn't you have informed your surgeon about this concern so it could be addressed in adequate time for your surgery?Certainly your surgeon cannot know about a history of low (anything) unless you inform them of this and allow appropriate time for treatment. Not just "forget" to mention it and now that blood tests are being scheduled, worry about surgery cancellation.Trust me, if this deficiency rises to the level of cancelling surgery, an elective procedure will indeed be cancelled. It all depends on the levels, and the things these levels affect, like your blood count.If you told your surgeon about this and knew the levels have in the past been low enough to be a concern, then a blood test right then at the time of consultation would have been something you and your primary physician should address, not your surgeon.If you came for a consultation for elective surgery and knew of a low blood count (hemoglobin), for example, then this should have been something to mention to your plastic surgeon, but more importantly, discuss and treat with your primary physician, who will need to examine you and draw blood tests to certify you are healthy enough for surgery and anesthesia. Then your surgeon will also need to review those tests and decide if there is anything in those tests that would make elective surgery unsafe for you. S/he wants to avoid cancelling surgery as much as you do, but wants you to NOT have an intra-operative problem that could have been avoided.You really need to ask your surgeon this now, and the answer will depend on the results of your blood tests and your pre-operative physical. If you are concerned about this because of your history, then by all means see your primary physician right now. I do understand the medical system in Canada is different, but this really is not a question to be asking now, just 2 weeks before surgery. When did you consult with your plastic surgeon? Then would have been a good time to address these concerns. I hope all goes well and wish you the best! Dr. Tholen

If they find your levels are deficient to have the surgery, they will probably have to re-schedule it and put you on a treatment. My advice as always is to get labwork done a month before surgery so you can be aware of anything that needs to be treated before your surgery instead of getting surprises. Best luck!!

Thank you for the question. With all elective surgeries, safety must come first.  If you are aware of your low iron and vitamin B12, then I hope you and your primary care physician have been treating and monitoring it appropriately.  If you have not been treating it and are found to have low levels, it is safest to wait until they are in the normal range, along with your hemoglobin.  Depending on your medical history, it is not routine to check vitamin B12 and iron levels months before surgery.  You would need to indicate that this has not been addressed by your primary care taker before this would be considered.  Low iron and vitamin B12 can cause all sorts of issues; it is best for your health that you make sure your levels are good -- even when not scheduling surgery. You should make sure your levels are good postoperatively too for healing purposes.  Be safe.  Hope this helps.

Yes, if  any of your laboratory values  indicate that proceeding with surgery cannot be done safely, then surgery should be postponed.  The question regarding timing of the laboratory draw is a good one that only your chosen plastic surgeon's office can answer. Best wishes.

Excellent question. If you are currently treating your low B12 and Iron levels then there should be no problem once your labs are drawn. But if its untreated then your plastic surgeon might reschedule your procedure and ask your to start treatment. During any surgical procedure you can expect some blood loss, and it is up to the surgeon to determine if your levels are sufficient enough to handle that blood loss. Every practice is different with their pre operative requirements. But in most cases it is safer to have the pre operative lab work performed 1 month ahead of surgery to allow sufficient time to make corrections if needed. Best wishes with your procedure.