Adult Appointments
Pediatric Appointments

Tests Prior to Surgery

❏  Blood work – “Labs” – We will need to obtain many different lab results for your surgery. One will be a “type and screen” for blood that may be used during your surgery. This lab-work must be done at the University so our blood blank has the results. In addition, it will need to be drawn within 30 days of your scheduled procedure. You will be given a blue sheet at the time of the blood draw, please be sure to bring this sheet the day of your surgery. You cannot eat or drink 6 hours prior to this test. 

❏  Chest X-Ray – This will look at the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs and diaphragm. Two views are usually taken: one in which the x-rays pass through the chest from the back (posterior-anterior view), and one in which the x-rays pass through the chest from one side to the other (lateral view). You stand in front of the machine and must hold your breath when the x-ray is taken. There is no preparation for this test.

❏  Electrocardiogram – “EKG” – measures the electrical activity of the heart. Electrodes (stickers) will be placed at specific locations on your body (chest, arms and legs). A graphic representation (tracing) will be generated which can indicate one or more heart-related conditions (conduction disorders, arrhythmias, valve disease, etc). There is no preparation for this test.

❏  Pulmonary Function Test – “PFTs” – measures how well the lungs take in and release air and how well they move gases such as oxygen. For the test, you will breathe into a mouthpiece that is connected to an instrument called a spirometer. The spirometer records the amount and the rate of air that you breathe in and out over a period of time. This will give the surgeon an idea of how well your lungs work and your risk for being on the ventilator long term. There is no preparation for this test. This test usually takes one hour.

❏  Carotid Doppler/Ultrasound Study – “Carotids” - The major goal of carotid ultrasound is to screen patients for blockage or narrowing of their carotid arteries, which if present may increase their risk of having a stroke. For this test, warm water-based gel will be applied on your neck and then a transducer (ultrasound probe) will be firmly pressed against your skin, moving it back and forth over the area of interest until the desired images are captured. There is usually no discomfort from pressure. There is no preparation for this test. This test usually takes 30 minutes.

❏  Ankle-Brachial Index – “ABIs” – Noninvasive test to check any blockages of the arteries in your legs or arms (peripheral artery disease). People with peripheral artery disease are at a high risk of heart attack, stroke, poor circulation and leg pain. There is no preparation for this test. This test usually takes one hour.

❏  Surface Echocardiogram - “echo” – This is a non-invasive test that looks at your heart valves, chambers and how well your heart is functioning. For this procedure, a warm water-based gel will be applied to your chest and then a transducer (ultrasound probe) will be firmly pressed against your skin, moving it back and forth over the heart until the desired images are captured. There is usually no discomfort from pressure. There is no preparation for this test. This test usually takes 30 minutes. 

❏  Vein Mapping – This is a non-invasive test that looks at the veins in your legs. It will create a "map" of your leg veins for the surgeon in preparation of bypass graft surgery. For this procedure, a warm waterbased gel will be applied to your legs and then a transducer (ultrasound probe) will be firmly pressed against your skin, moving it back and forth until the desired images are captured. There is usually no discomfort. There is no preparation for this test. This test usually takes 30 minutes.

❏  Trans-esphogeal echocardiogram – “TEE” – This is an invasive test that looks at your heart valves, chambers and how well your heart is functioning. It also looks at the diameter/size of the aorta (small portion). For this procedure, you will be given sedation and a small probe will be placed in your mouth and passed down your throat (in the esophagus) while a camera captures pictures of your heart. You cannot eat or drink 6 hours prior to this procedure. You will need someone to drive you home. You will have an IV placed prior to the procedure. This test will take approximately 1 hour to complete and 2-3 hours for recovery of anesthesia.

❏  ECG-gated SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging – “Stress Test” – this is a cardiac perfusion scan which measures the amount of blood in your heart muscle at rest and during exercise. It can identify areas in the coronary artery blood vessels that may not be getting adequate blood flow or areas of the heart muscle that have been damaged. During the scan, a camera takes pictures of the heart after a special test medicine (radioactive tracer) is injected into a vein in the arm. The tracer travels through the blood and into the heart muscle, allowing images to be taken. You will have an IV placed for this scan. You may not eat or drink 4 hours prior to the test. You cannot have caffeine or tobacco 24 hours prior to this test. There are certain medications that cannot be taken the day prior to this test (such as beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and long-acting nitrates). The scheduler will discuss specific medications with you. This test may take up to 3-6 hours to complete.

❏  Heart Catheterization – “Cath” – This is an invasive test that looks at the coronary blood vessels for any blockages (coronary artery disease). If blockages are identified, you may need an intervention prior to your surgery or bypass at the time of your surgery. For this procedure, you will need to lay flat while a catheter is placed in your groin blood vessel (or sometimes your arm blood vessel) while a camera captures images of your heart blood vessels. You cannot eat or drink 6 hours prior to this procedure. You will have an IV placed prior to the procedure as IV contrast dye is administered for this test. You will need someone to drive you home. This test will take approximately 1 hour to complete and 4-6 hours to recover (no signs of bleeding from the groin site).

❏  Computed Tomography Scan – “CT” – This test that looks at the aorta (largest blood vessel in the body), lungs and other organs. It will identify if an aneurysm is present or other issues that may need to be addressed before or at the time of surgery. If your surgery is a re-operation, it will allow the surgeon to see how safely they can enter the chest cavity. You will have an IV placed prior to the procedure as IV contrast dye is administered for this test. You cannot eat 6 hours prior or drink 2 hours prior to this procedure. This test will take one hour to complete.

❏  Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging – “MRI” – This test provides detailed pictures of the heart. It also reveals how well the heart is functioning and the overall size and shape of the left ventricle (pumping chamber of the heart). In addition, it allows the visualization of abnormal tissue in the heart muscle. Because they interfere with the magnetic field of the MRI unit, metal and electronic objects are not allowed in the exam room. You will need to complete a questionnaire prior to your appointment - be certain to tell your physician if you have a history of metal implants, shrapnel and/or claustrophobia. 

*** PLEASE NOTE: Every effort will be made to keep your surgery date and testing on the original dates provided, however, due to unexpected emergencies, your surgical date and/or testing may have to be rescheduled. If this occurs, everything possible will be done to re-schedule you to the earliest available surgical date.