Before undergoing PCNL, you will have a pre-surgical check-up with your operating surgeon and anesthesiologist. During this check-up, your surgeon will:
- Check your physical condition and medical history
- Recommend several tests based on your age, medical history, and surgical risk, such as:
- Urinalysis (an examination of urine)
- EKG (electrocardiogram)
- PT / PTT (blood coagulation profile)
- Physical exam
- CBC (complete blood count)
- Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (blood chemistry profile)
To undergo PCNL, you should not have any active urinary infections as it can increase the risk of sepsis (the body’s reaction to infection leads to injury to its tissues) during surgery. If any infections are found, your surgeon will recommend antibiotics to clear the infection before the surgery.
Based on the pre-anaesthesia check-up, your anesthesiologist can recommend general or spinal anaesthesia.
What to Ask and Tell Your Doctor?
You must ask the surgeon questions about the surgery or recovery process at your pre-surgical appointment. For example, you can ask questions like:
- Why do I need PCNL?
- What is the benefit of surgery?
- What are the risks and complications of PCNL?
- How will my recovery process be?
- How will you perform the surgery?
- When can I go back to my everyday activities after surgery?
Also, your surgeon must have complete information about you to perform the surgery smoothly. During your pre-surgical appointment, inform your operating surgeon if you:
- Are currently using any prescription, non-prescription, supplements, or blood-thinning medications (e.g., aspirin and ibuprofen)
- Have any allergies to medicines or foods
- Suffer from severe lung and heart conditions
- Have unstoppable bleeding tendencies
- Have symptoms of urinary tract infection, such as fever, burning sensation while urinating, blood in the urine or urgency to urinate
Based on the pre-anaesthesia check-up, your anesthesiologist can recommend general or spinal anaesthesia