It isn’t that your surgeon doesn’t like piercings, or has a personal issue with wedding rings.

Your surgical team just wants to avoid complications whenever possible.

Imaging Studies

Piercings and jewelry can block important structures in imaging studies.

Surgeon and team position patient under xray machine

Getty Images/Reza Estakhrian

For example, take tongue piercings.

Your dentist could easily miss a damaged tooth on the right side.

Plan on removing your piercings when having imaging studies anywhere near the piercing site.

Surgical Procedures

Jewelry can absolutely get in the way of a procedure.

The same is true for piercings.

Tongue piercings, in particular, can be an issue when having general anesthesia.

If yourrings are snugprior to surgery, swelling can make it impossible to remove them.

If they begin to restrict blood flow, they may need to be cut off.

It’s far easier to take them off before surgery and leave them at home.

The decision is made on a case-by-case basis.

So don’t fight it.

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McGraw Hill Medical.Anesthetic airway management.

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