Strong for Surgery: IMPAC Clinic

MD Anderson Cancer Center
Date: August 2014

Hello and welcome. Your treatment at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center may include surgery as well as outpatient procedures and we want you to have the best results. In this brief video we will review how MD  Anderson's  Internal Medicine Peri-operative Assessment Center also known as the IMPAC clinic, can partner with you to manage important areas that improve surgery outcomes. These are nutrition and exercise, medicines, good blood sugar control and smoking cessation.

Whether you are having surgery right away or have months to prepare, the impact clinic can evaluate your health status before surgery, help you lower your risks for medical problems that could occur during surgery, and teach you how to prepare your body so you can recover better after surgery.

At your appointment our health care team will do a comprehensive health assessment and review all of your medical records. Be sure you bring all of your outside medical records with you to this appointment. Including blood pressure and blood sugar logs and any recent heart and lung test results. Once we evaluate your health status and review medical records, we will help you get your body ready for surgery.

Nutrition is a major factor for any type of surgery. Choosing a balanced diet that includes protein, vitamins and minerals will help your body get ready for surgery. You'll heal better and speed up your recovery after surgery. A balanced diet can help you fight infection too. Here are some nutrition tips to get your body ready before surgery and promote healing after surgery. Eat at least 3 times a day, don't skip meals. Include protein rich foods with each meal, such as lean meat, fish, poultry, beans, eggs, cheese, nuts, tofu, reduced or low fat dairy products, and protein drinks. Include other healthy choices like whole grain, fruits and vegetables.

Drink fluids. Most people need about 8 to 12 cups of fluids per day. Now this will vary depending upon your age, your weight and your physical activity level. It’s very important to drink plenty of non-caffeinated fluids, especially water. If you are not able to eat enough food, add a daily protein drink. In addition to nutrition we recommend that you maintain an active lifestyle that includes daily exercise. A moderate amount of daily exercise before surgery will help you maintain and build your stamina and strength for the upcoming surgery.

It's important for your doctor to know what medicines you are taking. This includes vitamins, nutritional supplements, herbal products and over the counter drugs. Some of these medicines can cause complications such as bleeding during surgery and after surgery. Before surgery your doctor will tell you which ones to stop taking and when to stop them. Please bring all of your medications in the original bottles to the impact clinic visit.

If you have diabetes, good blood sugar control is very important. Having surgery puts stress on your body and stress can affect your blood sugar level. Blood sugar that is too high or too low can cause serious problems. Keeping blood sugar in control before, during and after surgery will reduce your risk of infection and help you heal better. Before surgery your doctor will need to review your recent blood sugar results. Be sure you check your blood sugar as instructed and keep a log of the results. Even if you haven't been told you have diabetes, your doctor may want to check your blood sugar. Many people have high blood sugar and don't know it.

If you smoke you are more likely to have problems after surgery, especially with breathing. Smoking can increase your chance of a heart attack and wound infection. It can also slow down the healing process. Quitting will not only reduce these risks, it will also improve your overall health and even add years to your life. We want to help you quit. Ask your doctor about MD Anderson's smoking cessation services. For more information please contact the IMPAC Clinic. Together we can help you have the best surgery outcomes. Thank you for watching.