abirdepisode:

Here are all the questions I asked my surgeon at my consult. Not all were actually applicable to me, but he was really chill about going through every one. That was a big part of me feeling comfortable with him. I pulled out three pages of double spaced questions and said “I have kinda a lot…” and he said no worries, took them to read, and spent an hour with me answering them. If they rush you through a consult… will they really take the time they need in other areas? like literally performing surgery on you. Just things to think about that aren’t so obvious!

Surgery Specific Questions:

❏ What procedures could be done on my chest for my size, what they recommend, what options there are, etc.

 

❏ Do you do liposuction on the sides to help prevent dog ears? Or is there anything else you do to prevent dog ears?

❏ If lipo on the sides, are the lymph nodes near that area and a potential problem?

❏ Do you do chest contouring/masculinization? Do you use liposuction to help get the chest flat?

❏ What options do you offer in terms of nipples? Can I go nipple free?

❏ Where will my scars be? What shape will they be? With the amount of space between my breasts, does that typically result in there being space between my scars? Or will they be really close together or touch? *add preference photos and discussion here

❏ What is your end result goal with my chest? (n.b. mu surg said OUR goal is xyz. and that was another thing that made me choose him)

❏ Do you see anything coming up that will interfere with the results? If you get in there and can’t do the preferred plan, what would you do?

❏ How will surgery impact sensation?

❏ Do medical students/surgical residents take part in the surgery? If so, how much would they likely be doing

❏ what level of experience would they have?

❏ How will changes in weight affect the appearance of my chest after surgery? I tend to go up and down 10-15 pounds every couple years.

❏ Who will be in the operating room with you?

❏ How long does surgery typically take?

❏ Does a catheter get put in for this surgery? And an intubation tube? Are you put under general anesthesia?

❏ Will I be walking into the OR and conscious, or will I be sedated prior?

 

Surgeon Questions:

❏ training and certifications? (ABPS, ABCS,) Specific trans care?

❏ How often do your patients come back for revisions? Are revisions included in the original cost?

 ❏ What made you want to specialize in gender affirming surgery?

❏ What’s the best way to get in touch with you?

❏ What is your patient satisfaction rate?

❏ How many of my procedures have you performed? Can I see before and after photos of previous patients/results?

❏ How many mastectomies are performed at this facility monthly?

❏ Are there any legal cases pending against you by any trans patients?

 

Complications Questions:

❏ What complications can occur?

❏ How many of those complications heal on their own?

❏ How many people end up needing another surgery?

❏ How often do your patients have complications?  

❏ How often do your patients get hematomas?

❏ What can be done to prevent that from happening?

❏ What other surgical complications are there?

❏ How are complications handled?

❏ will my sle or other conditions cause complications? (n.b. or put your own medical needs) 

❏ Do any of my medications pose any issues?

❏ I use cannabis for appetite and anxiety. How long before surgery and how long after surgery should I abstain? Can I use edibles?

 

Pre-Op Questions:

❏ Are there any factors that could cause the surgery to be delayed? What are guidelines for BP?

❏ Is there any protocol for corona virus?

❏ Are there any medications that you need me to stop before surgery? Should I take as normal on the day of the surgery?

❏ Are there any pre-op instructions to follow?

❏ Do you recommend pre-op vitamin c? Pre-op hibiclens? (n.b. vit c promotes healing, hibiclens disinfects your skin)

❏ Do you advocate for pre-banking blood for transfusions?

❏ Do I need to fast and stop water intake before surgery? How long?

❏ What kind of pre-op physical and bloodwork do you need?

❏ Is there a pre-op appointment before the surgery date?

❏ Do I need a Mammogram before surgery?

❏ What is the insurance process like on your end?

❏How quickly will you know whether or not my insurance will help pay for the procedure?

❏ How will that be communicated to me? Do I need further documentation? Who at your office should I direct my insurance questions to?

❏ Should I have my genes tested for breast cancer risk?

❏ Will there be a time to talk to the anesthesiologist with questions about the anesthesia end of things? Ie: anesthesia, nausea medication, anxiety medication,

Post Op Questions:

❏ how can I expect to feel when I wake up? 1 hr later? 2? 6?

❏ Do you use post op binders? Or ace bandages? Do you provide the binder? Is there a specific brand I should buy? How long post op should I expect to wear the binder?

❏ What kind of supplies do you provide post op? What do I need to buy?

❏ How long are the drains kept in? Can they be taken out sooner if there is not a large output?

❏ How long do I have to wait before I can shower?

❏ How long post op until I can drive?

❏ What should I expect for pain level? Timeline?

❏ What is the timeline/frequency on post-op visits? Will they be scheduled before the surgery so I can arrange driving the first week or two and then just know what to expect after that?

❏ Is it better to sleep in a recliner post op?

❏ What does the typical recovery timeline look like? Will you provide a document with the restriction guidelines?

Restrictions?

Daily Activities?

At what point of my recovery can I walk a mile? Drive? Exercise? Lift things like groceries?

❏ What medications will be prescribed? Are there other/complementary  options for pain management?

❏ What kind of help will I need with my recovery?

❏ Will you provide a written version of post op instructions?

❏ What dressing changes will I need to do after surgery? How often? What are signs of infection or complication we can notice during dressing changes?

❏What scar care routine do you recommend?

❏ How soon after surgery can I see my final results? How much do complications impact the final result?

❏ What are my options if I don’t like the final result?

❏ Will I be able to do light stretching of my back and legs post op to help with my bad back? What about taking walks and slowly riding an exercise bike to get movement in there to alleviate pain? Or what kind of light exercises/movement would you recommend?

❏What percentage of your patients still have pain years after surgery?

❏ Is there anything you do or have people do in recovery to help prevent the likelihood of having long term pain? *specific post op and pre op care

❏ Do you provide a letter for getting the gender marker changed on identification and birth certificates?