Guidelines for Preoperative Laboratory Testing
Blood Test
Indications
CBC
Procedure with potential for significant blood loss; history of anemia, chemotherapy, renal failure, or abnormal bleeding tendency
Coagulation tests
Anticoagulant use or abnormal bleeding tendency
Electrolytes, glucose, BUN, creatinine
Diabetes or renal disease; use of diuretic, digoxin, or steroids; pacemaker, ICD, or CRT device
Liver function
Liver disease or alcohol abuse
Thyroid function
Active thyroid disease; clinical signs of hyper- or hypothyroidism
Additional preoperative blood or urine testing is at the discretion of the admitting surgeon, the referring physician, or the anesthesiologist. Urine pregnancy testing is automatically ordered on admission for female patients of potential child-bearing age. Any patient who is qualified to sign her own consent may elect to waive the pregnancy test.
