Question

Chris has come to the doctor’s office in a somewhat agitated state. Several months ago, his wife noticed a small, dark spot in the skin on his lower back. His wife is worried that the spot may indicate skin cancer. Initially, Chris chose to ignore it. But recently his wife has noticed the spot has grown. In addition, when she inspected it and squeezed it, a thick, white material was released from the spot. Now Chris is worried. The physician examines the spot and assures Chris that he doesn’t have skin cancer. The spot, which is a sebaceous cyst, is benign and will only require minor surgery to remove. What should you tell Chris to prepare him for the procedure? What can you do to assist the physician before and during the surgery?

Answer 1

What should you tell Chris to prepare him for the procedure?

• Tell Chris to take completely before the day of the procedure.
• Advise him not to drink anything for 8 hours prior to surgery.
• Explain the procedure, to reduce his anxiety.
• Explain the requirement of a lab test to be taken prior to the surgery.
• Educate him about the antiseptic bath prior to surgery.
• Inform him to report on time with all the needed documents.

What can you do to assist the physician before and during the surgery?

Before the procedure:

• place the patient on the surgical table.
• Drape the cover by extracting the surgical site.
• Clean the area with a povidone-iodine solution.

After the procedure:

• Inspect whether the cyst has been removed entirely.
• Apply direct pressure on the wound.
• Secure the wound with the gauze pad and secure it tightly.