1. What is Surgical METs?

Surgical METs (Metabolic Equivalents) quantify the metabolic cost of surgical procedures. They help assess the physiological stress of surgery and can be used for preoperative risk assessment and postoperative care planning.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Surgical METs equation:

Where:

• \( Procedure\ Factor \) — Metabolic cost of the specific surgical procedure (METs per hour)
• \( Duration \) — Duration of the surgical procedure in hours

Explanation: The equation calculates the total metabolic cost of a surgical procedure by multiplying its intensity factor by its duration.

3. Importance of Surgical METs Calculation

Details: Calculating surgical METs helps in understanding the physiological stress of different procedures, comparing surgical burdens, and assessing patient risk factors in relation to surgical demands.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the procedure factor in METs/hour and the duration in hours. Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What are typical MET values for common surgeries?
A: Minor procedures range 2-3 METs/h, moderate 3-5 METs/h, and major surgeries 5-8+ METs/h.

Q2: How is this different from exercise METs?
A: While based on the same metabolic concept, surgical METs account for the combined stress of anesthesia, tissue trauma, and physiological responses unique to surgery.

Q3: Can this be used for preoperative assessment?
A: Yes, comparing a patient's functional capacity (in METs) to the surgical METs requirement helps assess perioperative risk.

Q4: What factors influence procedure MET values?
A: Invasiveness, blood loss, body cavity entered, temperature changes, and duration all affect the metabolic cost.

Q5: Are there standardized MET values for procedures?
A: Some reference values exist, but exact METs may vary by surgical technique, patient factors, and institutional protocols.