Before Surgery

You will have an initial consultation with your surgeon. They will talk to you about what has been going on for you and what you hope to get out of surgery. They will talk you through the types of surgery and their pros and cons. Dr Ryan and the team are very friendly and empathetic. They aim to create open, two-sided communication so that you feel comfortable asking questions and can make an informed decision about your surgery. Depending on the outcome of your initial consultation your surgery will be tentatively scheduled. This can vary any time from two weeks to six months. In the leadup to your surgery, you will meet with other members of SBC’s multidisciplinary team to ensure you are prepared for your surgery. This will include sessions with our dieticians, exercise
physiologist and psychologists. You will also attend something called the ‘pre-anaesthetic clinic’. Two week before your surgery, you will need to commence a liquid diet (Optifast). This will help kickstart your weight loss and also reduce the size of your liver, making it easier for your surgeon to perform the surgery. Information about the pre-anaesthetic clinic:

This appointment is essential and will take place at our Westmead Clinic, 2 – 4 weeks prior to your surgery with Dr John Leyden. The pre-anaesthetic assessment is critical to ensure you are prepared (physically and mentally) for surgery and post-surgery.

The objective of our pre-anaesthetic assessment is for you and Dr Leyden to establish a ‘doctor- patient’ relationship. Dr Leyden will formulate an anaesthetic plan for your surgery tailored to your specific needs. It is important to know that coexisting medical conditions such as high blood pressure can have a significant impact on anesthesia. Rest assured that Dr Leyden is extremely experienced in planning for and safely executing anesthetic plans for even the most complex cases.

The pre-anaesthetic clinic assessment includes:

  • Discussing your medical history and a physical examination
  • A comprehensive review of your blood tests with attention to full blood count, kidney
  • function, liver function, hormonal and nutritional abnormalities
  • An ECG (electrocardiogram)
  • A chest x-ray and cardiac echocardiography (if needed)
  • Basic lung function tests
  • Functional assessments – including cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and a six
  • minute walk test
  • An assessment by our physiotherapists (a prehabilitation program will be developed
  • after this)
  • After the pre-operative assessment and review of the results, Dr Leyden will offer you a clear explanation of the proposed plan of treatment and ask if you consent to the anesthetic plan.

As a result of Dr Leyden’s assessment, some patients may have their surgery delayed whilst we improve their medical conditions or improve their functional abilities through our rehabilitation program. These interventions will result in significant improvements in the health of the patients, success of the surgery, minimisation of potential complications and enhanced recovery. If you would like to find out more about our multidisciplinary approach to weight loss as SBC, contact us and one of our friendly staff will be happy to assist you.

Patient Resources