Clothing/Hygiene: We suggest loose fitting, comfortable clothing and shoes be worn the day of your surgery. You may bring socks to wear. Do not wear contact lenses, make-up, nail polish, hairpins, or jewelry, including body piercings.
Once you register for your procedure at the facility, the surgical team will ask you to remove your clothes and put on your hospital gown. You may want to bring a backpack or small bag to store your clothes in.
When you arrive at the surgery center or hospital, we will ask you to wear a surgical gown. Following the procedure, you will likely have a dressing on your area of surgery. Loose and comfortable clothing will make it easier for you to get dressed and home safely.
Clothing should be loose fitting, comfortable and appropriate for wearing after the procedure you will be having. Do not wear jewelry, including wedding rings and body piercing (including tongue piercing), or bring money or valuables with you.
The legs are flexed (less than 90 degrees) at the knees and hips with padding placed underneath the knees and ankles with the toes lifted and free from compression. A table strap may be used across the middle of the thighs.
Small pieces of sticking tape are commonly used to keep the eyelids fully closed during the anaesthetic. This has been shown to reduce the chance of a corneal abrasion occurring. 1,2 However, bruising of the eyelid can occur when the tape is removed, especially if you have thin skin and bruise easily.
Wrapping of the legs reduces the decrease in blood pressure following spinal anesthesia. A study in men undergoing urologic procedures.
If you're having general anesthesia, an anesthesiologist will give you medications that make you lose consciousness. After the surgery is complete, he or she will reverse the medication so that you regain consciousness — but you won't be wide awake right away.
Usually, before having a general anaesthetic, you will not be allowed anything to eat or drink. This is because when the anaesthetic is used, your body's reflexes are temporarily stopped. If your stomach has food and drink in it, there's a risk of vomiting or bringing up food into your throat.
Do NOT Shave over the surgical site. Using a razor over the surgical site produces microscopic cuts and scrapes which fill immediately with millions and billions of bacteria. One of the worst actions you can do prior to a surgery is to shave your legs or arms. The surgical team loves to see hairy legs and armpits.
On the day of surgery, you may be asked to arrive several hours before your procedure is scheduled to begin. This allows the staff to complete any tests that cannot be performed until the day of surgery.
Oral hygiene must be excellent prior to surgery. Therefore, way in advance of the surgery, the patient should brush, floss, and care for their teeth and gums twice a day. On the morning of surgery, brush and rinse with mouthwash or water.
All nail polish should be removed prior to surgery, including polish on toenails. Patients with long hair should not wear metal hair pins or barrettes. Be sure to remember cases for contacts, glasses or hearing aids.
Bathing, creams, lotions, deodorants.
Please shower or bathe the night before your surgery. Your surgeon may request bathing with a special soap; please follow their instructions. Creams and lotions should not be worn on the day of surgery. A light application of deodorant is permissible.
Showering will help prevent surgical site infections. You may shower the night before and the morning of your surgery, but avoid aggressively scrubbing the area of the surgical site. Wash your hair with shampoo first. Using a clean washcloth for both showers, wash your body with a liquid antibacterial soap.
Hair: Many hair products and hair pieces contain highly flammable products. Your safety is our first priority. That's why we require that you wash your hair the night before or the morning of surgery using only shampoo and conditioner.
You are encouraged to drink clear liquids before surgery or anesthesia — NOT milk or dairy products — until 2 hours before the time you are scheduled to arrive at the hospital or surgery center. Staying hydrated is good for you, and it's especially important in hot weather! Clear, see-through liquids include: Water.
Get ready the night before surgery.
Typically, you will need to take a shower with a special antiseptic soap, wear clean clothes, and stop eating and drinking at midnight the night before your surgery.
Patients do not talk during the anaesthetic while they are unconscious, but it is not uncommon for them to do so during emergence from anaesthesia.
The anaesthetic should take effect very quickly. You'll start feeling lightheaded, before becoming unconscious within a minute or so. The anaesthetist will stay with you throughout the procedure. They'll make sure you continue to receive the anaesthetic and that you stay in a controlled state of unconsciousness.
Next, patients lose the ability to respond. “They won't squeeze your fingers or give their name when asked,” Nash says. “Finally they go into deep sedation.” Although doctors often say that you'll be asleep during surgery, research has shown that going under anesthesia is nothing like sleep.
Graduated compression stockings after surgery help prevent blood pooling and clotting in lower leg veins. Guidelines recommend their use in combination with anti-clotting medicines for patients with a moderate or high risk of VTE undergoing planned surgery.
Wearing compression stockings is one way of reducing your risk of developing DVT. Your risk can also be reduced by making sure you drink enough fluids (check with your surgeon how much you should be drinking) and moving around as soon as possible after your operation.
A surgery that is serious to warrant an overnight stay won't become an outpatient procedure if the patient wakes quickly and experiences minimal side effects from surgery. The risks of not being monitored overnight remain and the patient will stay so that they can be monitored for any issues.