Anesthesiology

Guidelines for Preoperative Laboratory Testing

Blood Test

Indications

CBC

Procedure with potential for significant blood loss; history of anemia, chemotherapy, renal failure, or abnormal bleeding tendency

Coagulation tests

Anticoagulant use or abnormal bleeding tendency

Electrolytes, glucose, BUN, creatinine

Diabetes or renal disease; use of diuretic, digoxin, or steroids; pacemaker, ICD, or CRT device

Liver function

Liver disease or alcohol abuse

Thyroid function

Active thyroid disease; clinical signs of hyper- or hypothyroidism

Additional preoperative blood or urine testing is at the discretion of the admitting surgeon, the referring physician, or the anesthesiologist. Urine pregnancy testing is automatically ordered on admission for female patients of potential child-bearing age. Any patient who is qualified to sign her own consent may elect to waive the pregnancy test.