Six Questions to help you decide who is the Best Surgeon in London?
Who is the Best Ankle and Foot Surgeon in London is not an easy question to answer. In my previous post I discussed the really important factors that you should think about in deciding who are the best foot and ankle surgeons in London. It is always good to have a list of questions to ask your ankle surgeon. Of course no one can tell you what questions to ask, but here are some questions that patients commonly ask and that may be helpful to you.
How many of these operations do you perform a year?
Some operations are uncommon and your surgeon will tell you if this is the case, in which case they will not be expected to perform many of those operations per year. Other operations are more common and although there is no minimum guidelines for the number of procedures a surgeon should perform, where a surgeon does not have a lot of experience, they may choose to refer you to a relevant colleague.
The number of operations alone can not determine who is the best foot and ankle surgeons in London are, but you may also wish to ask your surgeon his or her record of successes, as well as complications. Most surgeons are happy to be transparent about their outcomes to help you make up your mind.
What is the operation being recommended?
Your surgeon should explain any diagnoses and procedures recommended in simple terms that are easy to understand. If not then ask questions until you fully understand.
Is there an alternative to this operation?
Ask if there is an alternative to the surgery being recommended. If your doctor favors one treatment over another do of course ask why and feel free to ask questions about other treatments that you have read about.
Why do you need the procedure?
Reasons to have surgery vary from treating pain, or improving function. It is important that you explain your expectations at the outset, so that your doctor can tell you whether they will or will not be met. If the objectives of surgery do not meet your aims of doing the surgery, really think hard about proceeding. For example, let’s say you want to be able to dance, then the question you should ask your surgeon is “Will I be able to dance after the surgery”.
What are the possible risks and complications of surgery?
Surgery always carries some risks, so it is important to weigh the benefits against the risks of surgery. Again these need to be explained to you in simple terms that you understand and if you do not understand any particular risk then do ask again.
Should I seek a second opinion?
In certain cases, such as complex problems, or revision surgery, you can never have enough opinions and a good specialist would be very happy to recommend another surgeon for you to have a second opinion. If a surgeon tries to talk you out of seeing someone else then it is worth asking why, as this may help you decide if you need to go for another opinion anyway.
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