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Care of the surgical patient: part 1

10 September 2020
Clinical
02 September 2020
Volume 29 · Issue 16

Abstract

This article provides clinical guidance on the care of a patient undergoing an elective surgical procedure. It discusses preoperative care and the preparation of the patient. It aims to provide an awareness of the complications associated with perioperative care. Through the use of a patient case study, the authors demonstrate the care required across the full perioperative journey from diagnosis to discharge.

Surgery is an inevitable and important part of health care that can offer individuals life-changing interventions for a range of medical conditions (Wicker, 2015). With increased developments in surgical techniques, such as laparoscopic approaches, and innovative strategies delivering better outcomes for surgical patients, surgeries that were once deemed high risk are now considered routine across a wider range of surgical specialties (Dejong and Earnshaw, 2015). As a consequence, the number of surgeries being performed rose by 27% between 2003/2004 and 2013/2014 (Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS), 2020) and it is now estimated that more than 12 million surgical procedures are carried out in the UK every year (Abbott et al, 2017).

This article aims to provide the reader with clinical guidance for the care of a surgical patient from diagnosis to discharge. It will also examine some of the complications that can occur within the perioperative care continuum (see Glossary for definition of terms) and explore the management strategies that may be used. Because hernia repair has been identified as one of the most common procedures performed in the UK, with over 100 000 of these procedures carried out every year (RCS, 2013), a case study (Box 1) has also been included to help illustrate the care required across the patient journey.

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Perioperative care
Preoperative care
Patient safety
Postoperative care
Care of surgical patients