Q&A: Dr. Cyr, what’s going through your mind as you glove up and get ready for surgery… are you going through the surgery in your mind or are you just getting into surgery mode and getting focused? ~Juila S.
Great question, Julia! Honestly, I’m thinking about several things. I start the scrubbing process by saying a prayer of protection over my patient. I pray for a successful outcome and a safe surgery with no short-term or long-term complications for every single patient. This is usually followed by a quick run-through in my head of the surgery plan. By then, I have already planned the surgery in very meticulous detail.
Before even arriving at the operating room, my surgical consultation with each patient lasted between 1 to 2 1/2 hours during which time I reviewed all of their images (flexion/extension X-rays, MRIs, Nerve tests, Discograms, etc) in pain-staking detail and performed a thorough examination to identify any physical deficits they have. I have also considered multiple options for treating them and have discussed and agreed to the final plan with the patient and their family.
