operation. impossible?

[dove]

when you go to hospital for an operation, and have to go under general anesthetic, why do you have to doctors have to know if you have any metal inside you?

ie. stents etc

[Amree]

The same thing happened when I went for an exray on my teeth at the dentist. Doesn't it react with the equipment or something!

[Philtaz]

They ask because during surgery we(I work in the Op Theatre) use diathermy/electro cautery machines that are used to stem/stop excessive bleeding from the incision etc.

Whilst using the equipment a small sticky pad is placed on a leg or other well vascularised area.  This is the patient return plate.  Current guidelines restrict the placing of the plate over any prosthesis/metalwork as a general safety rule in order to minimise any possible adverse reaction.

[Impret-Sir]

Philtaz, what is your job?  I am an ODA.

[Philtaz]

Impret-Sir, I'm a Senior Assistant Technical Officer(formerly we were ODO's) but with the technicalities and increased responsibilities of the job we asked for upgrading(some 7 years ago) and were given a higher grade with the new fangled title. 

Unfortunately with the new grade/title, we weren't paid enhancements for weekends, late's etc but will now get it with the Agenda For Change package which will in turn mean a tidy sum of back pay! 

[happy_face]

Amree the reason you were asked at the dentist when having an xray done was because anything metal shows up white on an xray and could interfere with what the dentist need to look at. It's not that it reacts to the equipment.

[silly moo]

can't think of any reason why dentist would need to know about stents etc.
I have never asked a patient about metal before doing either dental films or OPG in over 30 years.
ANY metal at all can cause a problem with an MRI scan as the magnets used are so strong.

[Amree]

Thanks for that happy_face.