Pre-Operative Assessment and Fitness-for-Surgery Review in Dubai
Surgeons and anaesthetists want to know whether a patient's heart, lungs, blood sugar, blood pressure and medicines are ready for an operation, and what to do about them if not. A pre-operative assessment answers that with a history, an examination, the tests the operation and the patient warrant, and a clear written opinion. At Smart Care Polyclinic in Deira, an internal medicine specialist provides it, usually within a few days of the request.
For: anyone asked for medical clearance before surgery, especially with a long-term condition
Takes: a 30-minute consultation; ECG and bloods on site; report within days
Price: consultation AED 125 · tests priced separately
Book the internal medicine specialistor call +971 (0) 4379 3562
What it is
The assessment follows the 2024 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association perioperative guideline, which matches the depth of the work-up to the risk of the operation and the risk of the patient: a healthy person before a minor procedure needs little; someone with heart disease, diabetes or poor exercise tolerance before major surgery needs more.1 The consultation covers cardiac and respiratory symptoms, exercise capacity, previous anaesthetics, bleeding history, medicines, and allergies.
Tests are chosen, not defaulted. An ECG for most adults over a certain age or with cardiac risk; blood count, kidney function, electrolytes and glucose where indicated; HbA1c in diabetics; clotting where the history warrants; a chest X-ray or echocardiogram only where the examination or history raises a question. Conditions found — uncontrolled blood pressure, high sugars, anaemia — are optimised before the date rather than reported and left.
Medicines are the part that most often goes wrong. Which to stop before surgery and when — blood thinners, diabetes medicines, some blood pressure tablets, herbal supplements — and which must continue, is written down for you and for the surgical team. The report states the assessment, the results and any recommendations plainly.
Diabetes and surgery
High sugars increase wound infection and delay healing, so an HbA1c well above target is a reason to improve control before elective surgery. Insulin and tablet doses around the fasting period are planned in advance, with the newer diabetes medicines held for the days the guideline advises.
The consultation, and what follows from it
Internal medicine consultation
Assessment, examination and a plan with every cost stated before anything further is done.
AED 125 was AED 200
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Questions patients ask
A history and examination focused on heart, lungs, diabetes, blood pressure, bleeding risk and medicines; an ECG and the blood tests appropriate to the operation and to you; and a written report with recommendations for the surgical team.
Usually within a few days of the consultation, once the results are back. Urgent requests are accommodated where the tests allow.
That depends on the medicine and the operation, and the specialist writes the plan for you. Never stop a blood thinner or heart medicine before surgery without that plan.
This guide is general information, not advice about you. Long-term conditions are managed on your own results and history, which is what the specialist consultation is for.
References
- Writing Committee Members, Thompson A, Fleischmann KE, et al.. 2024 AHA/ACC/ACS/ASNC/HRS/SCA/SCCT/SCMR/SVM Guideline for Perioperative Cardiovascular Management for Noncardiac Surgery: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2024;84(19):1869-1969. PMID 39320289. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2024.06.013The current ACC/AHA guideline on assessing and managing cardiovascular risk before non-cardiac surgery, matching the depth of work-up to the risk of the patient and the operation.
Sources are listed for the specific statements they support. They are published research and guidance, not a substitute for a consultation — what applies to you is decided by a doctor who has assessed you.