Medical Implants Are Not Uncommon, But There Are Questions You Need to Ask to Be Ready

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration or FDA are the ones who oversee the safety of implantable medical devices.

Currently, there are 4,000 different types of medical devices, from pacemakers to artificial joints, and they are all available on the market. Most of them are safe and effective.

However, the medical industry is a massive business and it is not a perfect system. Any surgery can be risky, even for the most common and quick procedures.

According to the American Medical Association or AMA, 10% of Americans will have some type of device implanted into their bodies during their lifetimes. This is why it is important to know the variety of risks or outcomes that are involved in the surgery.

The language of doctors can be so technical, which can make you feel uneasy. To help you get ready, there are a few things that you can talk to your doctor with before getting a new implant.

Ask About Your Diagnosis

Medical terms are there for a reason. It may sound odd to clarify them with your doctor considering you have investigated the issue, but it is important to get the correct wording.

You can ask your physician to write your diagnosis down for you, or you can make sure to get all visit notes from your doctor or the clinic's office.

If there is any confusion about your diagnosis, and how your doctor plans to treat it, you can get a second opinion.

Ask What Kind of Tech Will Be Used For the Surgery

You do not have to have a particular knowledge of medical materials or implants to learn what substances will be placed in your body and how they will interact with you.

Gethin Williams, a diagnostic and interventional radiologist in Texas, encourages patients to ask as many questions as possible before their procedures.

Williams said that one of the first things done is imaging. It is best to ask your doctor about the latest version of the device, if it is safe for the body to have scans, if it will you or not.

This is because not all devices will work safely with MRI machines and other strong magnet. You could get burned or shocked from an implant unless you ask questions about those manufacturer guidelines, according to Wired.

Ask How Safe the Procedure Is

Aside from general sleuthing online, Williams believes that patients should be comfortable asking doctors about any possible complications and all of the risks that are involved with the procedure.

Williams said that it should not matter how many thousands of those procedures have been done in the US, or how common the medical device is, it is important to ask for as much detail as possible, even if the potential complications or risks are very rare.

Possible Additional Implants

Some patients may only have one health problem that requires one medical implant, but in some cases, there are several issues that could overlap, according to The New Yorker.

It is not uncommon to have more than one medical implant in your body, and it should not be a problem as long as the implants are not next to each other. Make sure that your doctors have records of all the implants in your body.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster