Winter Maladies: Natural Approaches
June Russell's Health Facts
Alcohol - Surgery
Nearly 28 million outpatient surgeries were performed in 1994 (abortion clinics and specialized treatments, such as those in emergency rooms are not included in this statistic).
(Washington Post Health by Don Colburn, late 1990's)
Jack Challem says there are more than 46 million surgeries annually in the U.S. (statistics from 1998) - about equal for both in-patient and out-patient procedures.
(Let's Live magazine, Feb. 2000)
Prevention is the best way to avoid surgery. In a single year 40 million surgeries are performed in hospitals and 31 million in outpatient facilities (1996 statistics).
(The Johns Hopkins Medical Letter, "Health after 50," August 2001).
The reasons not to drink alcohol before surgery: because alcohol slows the movement of food through the stomach and also irritates the stomach lining, increasing the chances that you will vomit or regurgitate. Alcohol also adds to the effects of sedative and anesthetic agents, which makes it more difficult for the anesthesiologist to estimate proper doses of the anesthetics.
("A Recipe For Good Health That Helps You Undergo Anesthesia Safely," Anesthesia and Good Health,
nyssa-pga.org/good_health.html - Nov. 2001)
30 million people have anesthesia each year.
("The Safety of Anesthesia,"
Jay Siwek, M.D., Washington Post Health, June 21, 1994)
It is recommended that individuals avoid alcohol for several days before going into surgery.
(JAMA 1995, Health Gazette newsletter, March 1995) Editor's comment: A person who has alcohol in their body runs an additional risk if they need immediate/emergency surgery - or need to use nitroglycerine.
You should not drink any alcoholic beverages for at least two days before surgery. Alcohol may react with medications you take, interfering with recovery and causing serious complications.
(Carle Wound Healing Center, Carle on-line, Nov. 2001)
To prevent the possibility of developing a potentially life-threatening complication for those who drink an alcoholic drink (such as a single glass of wine or brandy) on a daily basis, all forms of alcohol should be given up for two full weeks before any operation.
(A Patient's Guide to Surgery, preopguide.com - Nov. 2001)
In the first 48 hours after surgery do not drink alcohol as it dilates the blood vessels, and could result in increasing postoperative bleeding. The combination of alcohol and pain pills can be dangerous.
(As You Heal," Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery, Dr. Hamid Massiha, art-plasticsurgery.com - Nov. 2001)