Preoperative Assessment of Risk Factors

Hemostasis is essential during endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery. Patients must be adequately assessed for bleeding risk to appropriately consent to surgery. The patient and the surgeon must be aware of the individual bleeding risk for a given procedure. A thorough history and physical examination is the best screening methodology available to determine whether a patient requires further hematologic work-up. Included in this assessment should be any medications and herbals that the patient consumes. This ensures a safe evaluation of the patient, streamlines appropriate consultation and testing when necessary, and confers accurate surgical risk assessment.