Are the procedures covered by health insurance?
Procedures are usually not covered by health insurance, they are cosmetic procedures. Health insurance covers only some procedures, such as breast reduction for so-called gigantomastia, where breast reduction is recommended by specialists (orthopedist, neurologist) for chronic back and cervical spine pain. The final decision on whether the health insurance company will cover the operation depends on the decision of the reviewing doctor of the respective insurance company. In addition, insurance companies cover surgery for paranasal sinuses in children under 10 years of age.
How much time should I allow for the surgery?
Each operation and post-operative period is different in terms of time. In the pre-operative period prior to surgery, the client will undergo a pre-operative examination. Good health is essential and no medication affecting blood clotting should be taken for at least 10 days prior to the procedure. The date of surgery should not be during women's menstrual period, also some major surgeries are not advisable to be performed in the summer months. Any surgery also requires recovery, it is not advisable to rush anything, complications are more common.
Are the operations painful?
You must remember that you are undergoing a surgical procedure where the integrity of the body is always violated and pain is an accompanying symptom. Before the procedure, you will always be instructed on the procedure and the post-operative course. For the more painful procedures - such as abdominoplasty, breast augmentation, breast reduction, rhinoplasty - you will be under general anaesthetic during the operation and will be given injections for pain relief after the operation. For local anaesthetic procedures, the operated area is numbed with a local anaesthetic solution by injection, only the first injection will be uncomfortable and afterwards you will only feel a slight pressure or pulling in the wound. In the post-operative period, pain is minimal.
What to prepare before surgery?
A pre-operative examination - an examination by your GP or internist - must be no more than 14 days old.
Before surgery under local anaesthesia, it must include
Blood count, Na, K, Cl, glucose, coagulation - quick (INR) APTT.
Prior to surgery under general anaesthesia, it must include
Blood count, urine + sediment, Na, K, Cl, glycaemia, liver tests - ALT, AST, ECG with description, coagulation- Quick (INR), APTT, lung x-ray (over 50 years), internal conclusion - which must state that the patient is fit for surgery under general anaesthesia.
Without these examinations, patients cannot be operated on.
How to prepare for surgery?
For hospitalization and surgery, take your ID, toiletries, slippers, proof of payment for surgery. All regularly taken medications are necessary.
Patients who will be operated on under general anesthesia must not eat or drink 6 hours before surgery, and must not smoke.
Do not make-up before surgery and it is advisable to depilate the relevant parts of the body.
How to proceed after the operation?
After surgery under local anaesthetic you will go home immediately, it is advisable to arrange for an escort. It is advisable to cool the operated areas with cold compresses after the operation, and to maintain a resting regime, usually for about 3 days.
After surgery under anaesthesia, you remain hospitalised, usually for 1-3 days depending on the type of procedure and the post-operative course. After going home for treatment, you must continue to follow your doctor's recommendations and avoid risky activities.
Scars
After any surgical procedure, scars remain on the skin. Scar healing is a long-term process that does not end with the removal of stitches; the scar matures. Scar maturation is individual, depending on the location on the body, the direction of the scar and many other factors. In the first 3 months, the scar goes through a so-called hypertrophic phase, when it is red, stiff, rises above the level of the surrounding skin, and may even itch. This phase can be influenced by thorough scar care - lubrication, pressure massage, protection from UV radiation, use of ointments or patches containing silicone, use of biostimulation laser or biolamp. After about 6 months, the scar fades, softens and becomes less noticeable or almost negligible.