Before surgery, you can play an important role in your health. Because skin is not sterile, you can reduce the number of germs on your skin by carefully washing before surgery. Please follow these instructions. IMPORTANT: You will need to shower with a special soap called chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG).
This is because all humans have germs on their skin that may cause an infection after surgery. Taking two showers (one at night and one in the morning) with CHG soap removes germs and reduces the risk of infection.
Sleep on clean bedding and dress in clean clothes after bathing. 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.
Have clean freshly laundered bed sheets, towels and pajamas ready for use the evening prior to surgery. Do not shave your pubic hair the day before or the day of surgery. If you would like to warm wipes prior to use, please place closed packet in a bowl of warm water at bathwater temperature.
Your skin will be prepared with antiseptic before your surgery, but the antiseptic can work better if your skin is clean. To clean your skin before surgery, your surgeon has asked that you shower with an antibacterial soap like Dial®, Lever®, or Safeguard® (body wash or a new bar of soap).
If you're going to have surgery, you may have blood and urine tests first. These tests may be helpful if you have certain health conditions or diseases. For example, if you have a blood-clotting problem, a test can show if you're at risk of too much bleeding during surgery.
After the procedure
When the surgery is complete, the anesthesiologist reverses the medications to wake you up. You'll slowly wake either in the operating room or the recovery room. You'll probably feel groggy and a little confused when you first wake.
When you have surgery, these germs can sometimes cause an infection. You will receive disposable cloths moistened with rinse free 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CHG) antiseptic solution. These cloths will be used for two or three days ending the day of your surgery. CAUTION: DO NOT USE THESE CLOTHS ON YOUR HEAD OR FACE.
The first shower should be taken two days before surgery and the second shower the day before surgery. The third shower will be the morning of surgery. With each shower, if you are going to wash your hair, wash as usual with your normal shampoo. Rinse your hair and body thoroughly afterward to remove the residue.
You can't wear deodorant during surgery because it can leave a residue on your skin that's difficult to remove. This residue might make it challenging for the surgeon to cut through the incision site or accurately assess your skin circulation during surgery.
Can I brush my teeth the morning of surgery? Yes. You may brush your teeth and swish with a small amount of water to rinse.
Be sure to put on clean clothing. During the morning shower on the day of your surgery, you may use your regular soap to wash your face, but do not wash your hair before using Hibiclens.
Do not shave or wax any area on your body for a week before surgery (legs, bikini, underarms, etc.). Shaving can nick the skin and increase the risk of wound infection. If hair needs to be removed, it will be done at the hospital.
Eating and drinking before a general anaesthetic
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.
This is done as a precautionary measure. If there is excess water in your system during a surgery, it can lead to pulmonary aspiration. This means if your stomach consists of any water, it will enter your lungs and potentially block the airways and cause major infections such as pneumonia.
This is because your wound should not be soaked in water until it's healed. It could cause the skin to soften and reopen the wound. Guidelines published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) say you can have a shower 48 hours after surgery.
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery. This includes water, coffee, gum, or mints. If you do, it may be necessary to cancel your surgery. Do not smoke or use chewing tobacco after midnight the night before your surgery.
Yes, please bathe or shower prior to your surgery with antibacterial soap. You might not have to make an extra trip to the store, many bar soaps; such as Dial, Irish Sping and Lever 2000 have antibacterial properties.
Avoiding post‐operative bathing or showering for two to three days may result in accumulation of sweat and dirt on the body. Conversely, early washing of the surgical wound may have an adverse effect on healing, for example by irritating or macerating the wound, and disturbing the healing environment.
Usually, they will have you wash each incision gently with mild soap and rinse it well. Instead of a bath, you can clean your body by: Taking a shower.
A tube is inserted through the incision, and carbon dioxide gas is pumped through the tube to inflate your tummy (abdomen). Inflating your abdomen allows the surgeon to see your organs more clearly and gives them more room to work.
Surgical hand preparation should reduce the release of skin bacteria from the hands of the surgical team for the duration of the procedure in case of an unnoticed puncture of the surgical glove releasing bacteria to the open wound.
Even if it's an outpatient or same-day surgery, compression socks are often prescribed. When you have to be off your feet for a period of time – and particularly for surgeries on the hip, knee, legs or abdomen – there's an increase in your risk for DVT.
Long recovery
Currently, there are no drugs to bring people out of anesthesia. When surgeons finish an operation, the anesthesiologist turns off the drugs that put the patient under and waits for them to wake up and regain the ability to breathe on their own.
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.