preoperative

American  

[pree-op-er-uh-tiv, -uh-rey-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

Etymology

Origin of preoperative

First recorded in 1900–05; pre- + operative

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

When it comes time to preoperative consultations, she’s found some patients aren’t fit for surgery.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 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

But he insisted that Ms. Wesko come to him for two preoperative exams.

From New York Times ● Jun. 7, 2022

The documented ineffectiveness of the Universal Protocol, combined with the obvious advantages of negative labeling, should lead doctors and health-care risk managers to incorporate wrong-site labeling in their preoperative procedures.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 19, 2021