Having surgery or organizing it for a child can be very daunting.
Surgery is an every-day occurrence for me and my team but it is important you feel able to discuss any concerns with me during consultations or on the phone prior to the surgery.
My staff and I will always try our best to inform you about what to expect and allay any fears you might have.
I only operate in health care facilities that are at the forefront of modern surgical care, with the latest and best equipment and with the most experienced staff.
Other hospitals may be closer to where you live but I'm sure you would prefer the best and safest care over the closest care.
Patients requiring overnight care are usually operated on at St. Vincent's Private (East Melbourne campus). The majority of ear and nose surgery can be done as a day procedure, allowing surgery to take place in a sophisticated day care centre like Victoria Parade Surgical Centre. Patients admitted in the afternoon to St.Vincent's hospital (East Melbourne) will usually be offered an overnight stay if their procedure warrants it.
Overnight surgery for children is done at St. Vincent's Private (East Melbourne campus) - an excellent facility with a dedicated paediatric ward.
Medications
Depending on the type of surgery it may be necessary to stop certain medications like blood thinners (e.g Plavix, Aspirin or Warfarin) or herbal medications. Please discuss all your medications with me, my secretary and the anaesthetist as soon as surgery is booked.
Sometimes we ask you to start medications (e.g antibiotics or steroid medications) prior to surgery. Please fill all scripts given to you prior to surgery and follow the instructions carefully. Failure to take medications properly prior to surgery may affect the outcome of the procedure or it may need to be postponed.
Hearing Tests
Hearing tests are usually required before ear surgery. Some surgery may be deferred or cancelled if hearing tests have not been done prior to the operation. If you are not sure if a hearing test needs to be done please contact my secretary via the email provided or on 9895 0400 well in advance of any ear operation.
Smoking and Surgery
It is well known that smoking prior to surgery can seriously impact the safety and success of surgery. The risk of heavy bleeding during or after surgery is increased in smokers, as are postoperative infections and respiratory problems. Fortunately, cutting down or stopping a few weeks before planned surgery can greatly improve one's overall outcome and reduce these risks. Many people find the surgical process an excellent opportunity to stop smoking once and for all. For help cutting down or quitting, please consult your GP well in advance of any surgery.
Arranging Surgery
Once surgery has been deemed appropriate, the consent and booking process begins.
During the consent process, the patient is provided with a description of the proposed operation as well as the risks involved. Understanding the benefits of any surgery as well as the risks is very important.
Printed handouts and an opportunity to answer any question will be given during the consultation and offered at any time prior to surgery. It is important to feel able to approach me or my staff with any queries you may have well in advance of surgery.
Surgery is then organized along the following steps:
An operation booking form is given to my secretary to arrange a quote
A quote is provided to the patient (by mail or email) - see Costs
A date for surgery is arranged with the patient - exact admission times are given by our rooms or the hospital well in advance of the surgery. Please note children are usually operated on in order of age i.e babies will usually be done first on a morning list.
Information is provided to the patient to help them obtain quotes from the hospital and the anaesthetist.
Patients will be reminded to bring any relevant scans or hearing tests to surgery
If surgery is organized in a short time frame, most of these steps can be performed "while-you-wait" in our office.
Costs
Understanding costs is a very important part of my private surgical practice.
Consultation Fees
These reflect the costs involved in running a state-of-the-art medical facility and in maintaining very high quality medical equipment.
Discounts are provided to those with a current valid pensioner card and Gold card holding Veterans are covered by the Department of Veteran's Affairs.
Private Health Insurance does not contribute to consultations outside of hospital but Medicare does rebate a proportion of our fees. At the time of consultation our staff will be happy to process any Medicare claim (provided you have registered your details with Medicare).
Occasionally additional procedures such as endoscopy are performed in the rooms and these are also subject to cost. Please click here to get a better understand what endoscopy entails.
Please contact my office on (03) 9895 0400 for the latest table of fees.
Private Surgical Fees
Fees for surgery include the following:
Operative fees (payable to the Surgeon) - these reflect the duration, complexity and special training required to perform the surgery. The “Gap payment” is the difference between the surgical fees and the refund given from your health fund. It should be stressed different health funds rebate very different amounts for the same surgical service. Gap payments usually reflect the cost of the insurance premium - i.e cheaper insurance = a larger gap payment required to cover the surgical fees. Medicare will also refund part of the surgical fees.
Private Hospital fees (payable to the hospital) - these are determined by the health care facility. They are often fully covered by even the most basic hospital insurance. You will need to check these costs with your insurer prior to booking surgery. They are usually not covered by Medicare.
Anaesthetic fees (payable to the anaesthetist) - these are determined by the Anaesthetist and a quote can be obtained from them prior the surgery. Our staff will tell you who the anaesthetist is well in advance of surgery.
Pathology and Radiology fees (payable to them) - Tissue specimens are often sent to pathology for examination during surgery. Occasionally the need for this is not predicted in advance and additional costs may be incurred. Xrays are rarely needed during surgery. Pathology costs are often covered by private hospital insurance.
Anaesthesia
Most ear nose and throat surgery is done in a hospital under full general anaesthesia (fully asleep). Anaesthetists also help manage pain after surgery.
In Melbourne I use a small number of experienced and caring Consultant Anaesthetists to help look after you or your loved one during the surgery.
Two of them are:
Dr. Mark Suss
Dr. Matthew Matusik
Both are from Victoria Parade Anaesthetic Services - www.vpasgroup.com
Phone: (03) 9038 9333
Your anaesthetist is also well placed to discuss questions relating to fasting times, medications you can take prior to surgery and other medical conditions you may have.
Recovery times
When contemplating surgery it is important to have an idea of the time required to recover.
Please find below some information regarding the most common procedures Ben Cook performs. This information is provided as a general guide only and may be different in certain situations. Unexpected complications or the effects of prescription medications may lengthen the recovery period.
Nasal Surgery:
Septoplasty - Generally 5-7 days off work. Many self employed people will have surgery on a Thursday or a Friday and take the following week off. It is sensible to wait 2 weeks before heavy lifting, straining or exercising at the gym. Light exercise (walking) is permissible after a few days.
Turbinate reduction - Generally 4-5 days off work. Heavy lifting and straining is not recommended for the first 2 weeks.
Rhinoplasty - Generally 1 week off work. The nasal splint and dressings are removed after that time and the nose cleaned. After that period most people are able to return to work. Heavy lifting and straining is usually not recommended for a fortnight after surgery. Strenuous exercise or heavy gym work is not advisable for 3 or 4 weeks.
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery - Generally 4-5 days off work. Flying is not advisable for 2 weeks after sinus surgery. See Septoplasty above.
General ENT:
Tonsillectomy - Approximately 10 days off work or school is the average. It is advisable to assume that you will take 14 days to recover, though occasionally patients will attend work or school earlier. Don't plan your tonsillectomy too close to any important events like your wedding or graduation!
Adenoidectomy - Usually 2-3 days off childcare or school is required.
Ventilation tubes (grommets) - Recovery is usually about 1-2 days. Most children return to kindergarten/creche after a day, most adults return to work the following day. Flying is safe the day after grommet insertion.
Uvulopalatoplasty (snoring surgery) - This often takes 10-14 days to recover from. Like tonsillectomy there is a wide range in recovery time but it is advisable to inform your work that you will be at home recovering for 2 weeks.
Microlaryngoscopy - We recommend about 3 days of voice rest after laryngeal surgery. Pain is usually not significant and most people return to work after that time.
Ear Surgery:
Myringoplasty, Mastoidectomy and Exostosis surgery - Recovery usually takes 1-2 weeks. Washing hair can be tricky in the first week and most people don't feel like attending work until the second week. Flying should be avoided for 4-6 weeks after the surgery.
Stapedectomy - It is recommended most people stay home for the first week or so. Heavy lifting or straining is not allowed for the first few weeks. Air travel is not recommended for 4-6 weeks after the surgery.