title: Preoperative Laboratory Testing.
abstract: Routine preoperative testing is not cost-effective, because it is unlikely to identify significant abnormalities. Abnormal findings from routine testing are more likely to be false positive, are costly to pursue, introduce a new risk, increase the patient's anxiety, and are inconvenient to the patient. Abnormal findings rarely alter the surgical or anesthetic plan, and there is usually no association between perioperative complications and abnormal laboratory results. Incidental findings and false positive results may lead to increased hospital visits and admissions. Preoperative testing needs to be done based on a targeted history and physical examination and the type of surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Central Hospital, Via Lorenz Boehler 5, Bolzano 39100, Italy; Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Medicine and Intensive Care, Paracelsus Medical University, Muellner Hauptrstrasse 48, Salzburg 5020, Austria.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bock
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Medicine and Intensive Care, Paracelsus Medical University, Muellner Hauptrstrasse 48, Salzburg 5020, Austria; Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, UKH Lorenz Boehler, Donaueschingerstrasse 3, Vienna 1220, Austria.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fritsch
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02459, USA. Electronic address: dhepner@partners.org.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hepner
mesh_terms: D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D057234:Preoperative Period; D018570:Risk Assessment
keywords: Choosing wisely; Coagulation studies; Complication; Electrocardiograms; Patient safety; Pregnancy testing; Preoperative testing; Preprocedure testing