preoperative

American  

[pree-op-er-uh-tiv, -uh-ray-tiv, -op-ruh-tiv] / priˈɒp ər ə tɪv, -əˌreɪ tɪv, -ˈɒp rə tɪv /

adjective

1. occurring or related to the period or preparations before a surgical operation.

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Other Word Forms

• preoperatively
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of preoperative

First recorded in 1900–05; pre- + operative

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Explanation

Anything that happens before a patient has surgery is preoperative. Your preoperative instructions might include not eating or drinking anything for several hours. People who have their wisdom teeth or their tonsils removed are given a preoperative checklist to help them prepare for the operation. These patients usually have preoperative medication that makes them sleepy or unconscious during the procedure. Doctors and nurses follow preoperative instructions of their own, including hand washing and preparing the site of the surgery.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

preoperative

The diagnosis was suspected by preoperative tests, his doctors said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

"Our study underscores the potential of topical senolytic treatments to enhance wound healing in aging skin, presenting a potentially promising strategy for preoperative care."

From Science Daily ● May 20, 2026

Lim recalled an instance in which a patient’s daughter read preoperative instructions to her mother the night before surgery.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2024

He had already undergone a preoperative appointment and taken medical leave from work for the long-awaited, lifesaving operation.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 28, 2021

Sometimes a preoperative test of questionable value results in unanticipated complications, as happened to a man in his 50s scheduled for repair of a very painful hernia.

From New York Times ● Nov. 15, 2021

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