preoperative instructions
Preparation for Returning Home
Do you have someone to help you at home when you return? These arrangements should be made before the surgery. If you are unsure what your restrictions might be, please ask. You may need help with shopping, housework, cooking, errands, driving, or returning to the doctor's office. You may require equipment for positioning post-operatively. Please discuss with the surgical coordinator your specific needs at least a week before your surgery.
Change in Health
Notify your surgeon if you experience any significant change in your health status; or develop a cold or influenza; or a bladder infection, diarrhea, or other infection before your surgery.
Preoperative Medication Instructions
Unless specifically instructed otherwise by your surgeon or anesthesiologist, please observe the following guidelines for taking your medicines before surgery:
One week prior to surgery:
Stop all aspirin and all medicines containing aspirin (e.g., Anacin, Excedrin, PeptoBismol). Read labels for any cold or pain medicine bottles to check if aspirin (or salicylate) is contained in the medication.
Three days prior to surgery:
STOP all nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (e.g., etodolac [Lodine], fenoprofen [Nalfon], ibuprofen [Advil, Motrin, Nuprin], ketorolac [Toradol], naproxen [Aleve], meclofenamate [Meclomen], mefenamic acid [Ponstel], naproxen [Anaprox, Naprosyn]).
On the morning of your surgery:
Do not take digitalis medicines (e.g., Crystodigin, Digoxin, Lanoxin).
Do not take oral antidiabetes medicines (e.g., chlorpropamide [Diabinese], glyburide [DiaBeta, Glynase, Micronase], glypizide [Glucotrol], tolazamide [Tolinase], tolbutamide [Orinase]).
Remove nicotine patches (Nicoderm).
Do take one-half of your usual morning insulin dose. Do not take your morning insulin dose if you are driving a great distance the morning of surgery or if your surgery is scheduled for the afternoon.
Do take, with a small sip of water, all of your other usual morning doses of regularly prescribed medicines, including heart and blood pressure medicine. Use your asthma inhalers and bring them with you to the hospital.
Preoperative Diet Instructions
Unless specifically instructed otherwise by your surgeon or anesthesiologist, patients of all ages must observe the following diet restrictions before surgery:
Eight hours before the scheduled start of surgery:
Do not take anything by mouth except for your usual medicines. Follow the preoperative medication instructions above.
Except for your usual medicines, do not take anything by mouth for eight hours if you are pregnant, morbidly obese, or diagnosed with diabetes, renal failure, or stomach acid reflux with heartburn.
On the day of surgery:
- Take your medicines as instructed above with a sip of water.
- You may brush your teeth; rinse your mouth, but do not swallow the water.
- Leave all jewelry (including wedding ring and all other rings) and valuables (including money and credit cards) at home.
- If you wear contact lenses, glasses or hearing aids, please bring a case or container and solution for contacts, to protect them while you are in surgery.
- Wear a minimum amount of makeup, and no mascara. Please remove nail polish, and/or artificial or acrylic nails from both index fingers.
- Please bring a copy of your current medical problem list from your primary care physician (family medicine/internist).
- Minors (anyone less than 18 years old) must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to sign the operative consent form.
- Prior to surgery, the anesthesiologist will discuss with you the anesthetic most appropriate for your medical condition and procedure.
- After discharge, you will need to be escorted/driven home by a responsible adult. You may take a taxi or shuttle if accompanied by a responsible adult who can stay with you after the driver departs.