The Day of Surgery

You may eat solid foods until midnight on the night before your surgery. You should not have anything to eat or drink after midnight if you are having any anesthesia besides straight local anesthesia. No alcohol is allowed. You will be able to take many of your regular medications on the morning of surgery but please check with prescreening office at the facility where your surgery will be preformed.

Ambulatory surgery patients (People who will be going home after surgery) must make arrangements for someone (family member or friend) to pick you up after surgery. You will not be allowed to drive home if you have had any sedation, which includes all anesthesia except local anesthesia.

On the day of surgery please leave jewelry and other valuables at home. On the day of surgery please bring your insurance information and photo ID. Please do not wear lipstick, make-up or nail polish on either index finger. Glasses, dentures and hearing aides may be removed until after your procedure.

You will need to arrive approximately one to two hours prior to your scheduled surgical time. This will vary depending on your age, medical problems, surgical procedure and anesthesia and facility. Bring a book or "audio source" to help the time pass. Occasionally there are delays beyond our control. Your scheduled surgical time is an estimate. Please be patient should delays occur. You will meet with the nursing staff in the ambulatory surgery center, the anesthesia team, your operating room nursing staff and your surgeon. You will confirm with the staff the correct side and the procedure to be done. The surgical area will be initialed. Someone from the anesthesia team will start an intravenous line and discuss the type of anesthesia that is best for you and your procedure. The type of anesthesia will depend on the time needed and type of procedure to be performed as well as your preferences. This can vary and includes local anesthesia, local anesthesia with sedation, regional anesthesia (arm numb plus sedation) and general anesthesia.

After surgery you will go to the recovery room if you had general anesthesia or are still sedated at the end of the procedure for an hour or two. If not or after the recovery room you will return to the ambulatory surgery area. Your surgeon will contact the person you (think ahead) have selected. The nurses will make you comfortable, review the procedure and postoperative instructions with you and your family or friends. You will be given some liquid and food as tolerated and be discharged home when you are ready. If you haven't already scheduled a postoperative appointment, one will be scheduled or you can call as soon as you can from home. This can vary from being seen the next day or up to two weeks depending on the procedure and your needs.

If you require admission to the hospital for pain control or observation you will be transferred to your room where your family and friends can meet you.