Version July 2025
Please read the Disclaimer at the end of this page.
The following is a list of questions everyone should ask if they are told they need surgery or another procedure.
"Surgery" usually involves cuts ("incisions") in the skin. For other procedures, the doctor looks or works inside the body without making an incision. Examples include endoscopy, angiography, and heart catheterization.
Why do I need this surgery or procedure? —
It might sound like a silly question, but people often don't know why their doctor recommended surgery or a procedure. Also, doctors sometimes suggest surgery or a procedure even if there are other treatments available.
Some questions that are also worth asking are:
●Are there options besides this surgery or procedure? – In some cases, surgery or a procedure is 1 of several treatment options. If you have a choice of treatments, and the surgery or procedure is just 1 option, you have to decide what to do. Your doctor can help you decide.
Think about:
•How much your problem bothers you
•How likely the surgery or procedure will help
•How worried you are about the risks involved
•Whether there is someone who can help take care of you at home afterward
•How long the recovery period might be
•Whether the surgery or procedure will relieve your pain, if you have pain
•How much pain the surgery or procedure might cause
•If you will have to miss work or other responsibilities
●What if I don't have this surgery or procedure? – Lots of different conditions can be treated with surgery or a procedure. Some of these get worse without treatment, some get better, and some stay the same. If the surgery or procedure is not absolutely necessary and your symptoms don't bother you too much, you might decide to try other treatments.
●Are there other surgeries or procedures that would accomplish the same goal? – Sometimes, a condition can be treated in more than 1 way. Ask your doctor what options you have and what the differences between them are. Here are examples of some of the main types of surgery and procedures:
•Open surgery – The surgeon makes an incision big enough to work directly inside the body.
•Minimally invasive surgery – The surgeon makes smaller incisions and put tools through them to work inside the body. They control the tools from the outside, with the help of a camera. They can control the tools directly, or with the help of a robot (called "robot-assisted" surgery).
•Percutaneous procedures – The surgeon or another doctor called an "interventionalist" inserts a special tool through the skin and into the area with the problem. One type of percutaneous procedure is called "endovascular surgery." For this, the doctor goes through a blood vessel in the leg or arm to get to another part of the blood vessel, or to the heart. They can then push special tools or devices through the blood vessel to the area with the problem. Another type of percutaneous procedure involves inserting a tube to drain fluid.
•Endoscopic procedures – The doctor uses a thin tube with a tiny camera on the end. They put the tube into 1 of the natural openings in the body, such as the mouth, anus, urethra (where urine comes out), or vagina. These procedures are used to look at or treat certain conditions, including the stomach or intestines ("gastrointestinal endoscopy"), bladder ("cystoscopy"), uterus ("hysteroscopy"), lungs ("bronchoscopy"), and nose ("endoscopic nasal surgery").
What are the benefits and risks of this surgery or procedure? —
Every surgery or procedure, no matter how "minor," carries risks. Make sure you understand the risks and benefits of the surgery or procedure you might have. Risks are also called "side effects" or "complications."
Some related questions to ask about a surgery or procedure:
●What are the chances I will benefit, and how long is the benefit likely to last?
●What are the most common risks, and how long do their effects last?
●What are the most serious risks, even if they are not very common?
●When are these risks likely to happen?
What if I want a second opinion? —
Do not be afraid to ask for a second opinion. No doctor should ever appear to be worried or bothered if you want a second opinion. In fact, your doctor should be willing to help you find the best surgeon or interventionalist to suit your needs.
You can also get the names of other doctors who perform the surgery or procedure from your primary care doctor or from people you know who have had a similar surgery or procedure. This information might also be available for patients online through professional society websites.
What type of anesthesia will I need, and what risks does it have? —
The goal of anesthesia is to reduce pain. There are different types of anesthesia. For example, some block pain in 1 part of your body. Others put you to sleep so you are not aware of what is happening.
Your doctor will talk to you about your anesthesia options. This depends on the procedure you will have, as well as other things like your overall health.
Some of the risks of surgery or procedures come from the type of anesthesia used. Even "minor" surgeries or procedures have risks related to anesthesia.
What will my recovery be like? —
People do not always know what to expect in the recovery period after surgery or a procedure.
It's very important to find out (ahead of time) the answers to these questions:
●How much pain can I expect in the days and weeks afterward?
●How will my pain be treated or managed?
●How long will I be in the hospital?
●Will I need help when I return home?
●Will someone else need to bring me home?
●After the surgery or procedure, will I be able to do all the things I normally do? If not, how long will it be until I can do these things?
●When can I go back to work?
How much experience does my surgeon or interventionalist have? —
Ask the doctor doing your procedure, "How many of these surgeries or procedures have you done in the last year?" Find out, too, if the hospital where you will be has a lot of experience handling people having the kind of surgery or procedure you need.
Before your surgery or procedure, ask if there are treatment centers that specialize in the type of surgery or procedure you need. You might decide to get treated at a specialty center, or you might not. But knowing about your options will help you make the decision that's right for you.
For some types of surgeries or procedures, it's best to go to a specialty center. For example, weight loss surgery is best done at a "center of excellence" that is dedicated to this type of surgery. That's because people having weight loss surgery often need to be seen by a lot of different health care providers with a special interest in treating people with obesity. Plus, people who need weight loss surgery often need special care because of their size.
How much will the surgery or procedure cost? —
Even with insurance coverage, people often have to pay some costs themselves when they have surgery or a procedure.
Find out ahead of time what you might have to pay. To find out, call your insurance company directly. When you speak with them, ask if they have to "pre-approve" your surgery or procedure. If cost is a concern for you, ask your insurance provider and your doctor if there are any additional resources available, or whether there are less expensive treatment options that could help you.
Patient education: Minimally invasive surgery (The Basics)
Patient education: Endovascular surgery (The Basics)
Patient education: Anesthesia in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Anesthesia in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Monitored anesthesia care (The Basics)
Patient education: Patient-controlled analgesia (The Basics)
Patient education: Sedation for procedures in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Sedation for procedures in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Managing pain after surgery (The Basics)
Patient education: Caring for a closed surgical wound (The Basics)
Patient education: Lowering the risk of a surgical site infection (The Basics)
Patient education: Surgical site infection (The Basics)
Patient education: Breathing tubes and ventilators (The Basics)
Patient education: Going home from the hospital (The Basics)
