preoperative

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

adjective

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

Other Words From

• pre·oper·a·tive·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of preoperative¹

First recorded in 1900–05; pre- + operative

Example Sentences

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

From Los Angeles Times

In a recent randomized trial, MU researchers tested whether preoperative, preventative treatment with antibiotics resulted in lower rates of infection following CRPP.

From Science Daily

Surgical recovery is influenced by both preoperative physical and mental health.

From Science Daily

Overall, preoperative imaging is helpful in determining the amount of tissue resection, or removal, required for patients with symptomatic DLM.

From Science Daily

During Biden’s preoperative preparation, physicians also identified a lesion on the left side of her chest whose appearance was consistent with basal cell carcinoma, O’Connor said.

From Washington Post