Undergoing surgery? You’re not alone. As the population’s age increases, so do the number of surgeries. In fact, an estimated 40 million to 50 million surgeries are done every year in the United States, according to the statistics, with hip replacement, knee replacement and heart bypass surgeries among the most frequent procedures.
“Surgeries have become one of the most common, safest and more reliable treatments across medicine,” says Dr. Stavros Memtsoudis, an anesthesiologist with the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. “We recognize that surgery can be an unsettling experience for some patients, so it’s important to be transparent from the very beginning about what to expect.”
While a certain level of preoperative anxiety is normal, knowing what to expect and how to prepare can help calm the nerves.
Here’s how to physically – and mentally – prepare for your upcoming surgery based on expert recommendations.
