Preoperative Instructions
Prior to surgery
Confirm arrival time
The hospital will call you the day before your exam (Friday for Monday procedures) to notify you of your arrival and procedure times. If you are not going to be home to receive this call, please call the pre-surgical nurse at (608) 643-7193 weekdays (Monday through Friday) between 9a.m. and 4p.m. to obtain your arrival time. Your allergies, medical and surgical history, and medications will be reviewed over the telephone, so have this information available.
Medications
Your medications will be reviewed by the pre-surgical nurse on the day prior to your surgery. Most medications may be taken with a small amount of water on the morning of your procedure.
Notify your physician if you are taking blood thinners, such as Aspirin, Plavix, Heparin, or Coumadin. these Medications are usually stopped 4 to 7 days before your surgery.
If you are diabetic, discuss your medications with your primary physician. As you will not be eating a normal diet, often your medication schedule or dosing will need to be changed.
Pregnancy
Please notify your surgeon if you are, or may be, pregnant. Anesthesia, medications, or surgery can all be harmful to your baby.
Smoking cessation
If you quit smoking, this will decrease your risk of surgery and complications. Smoking will increase your risk of infection or poor wound healing. Recurrence rates of hernias are higher in smokers. If you wish to quit smoking, please contact your primary care physician who can assist you with this difficult task.
Bowel prep if applicable
Your surgeon will tell you if you need a bowel prep to cleanse the colon. this is necessary with all colon surgeries, and many pelvic surgeries. If you are unsure, contact your surgeon. If you need a bowel prep, click here to be directed to prep page.
Prepare for your recovery
When you are discharged to home, you will need to have a responsible adult to drive you home, and to assist you when you get home. Make any preparations that will be necessary for your recovery before you have your procedure. Do any shopping or chores early, so that if your recovery is longer than expected, you will still be prepared.
Nothing to eat or drink after Midnight
Patients are expected to have an empty stomach for their surgery. Medications can be taken with a small amount of water.
The day of your surgery
Unless you are admitted to the hospital prior to your surgery, all patients are prepared in the ambulatory surgery center. A nurse will check you in, and start an IV (intravenous line). You will meet with your anesthetist and also talk with your surgeon prior to your procedure. Your procedure will be scheduled to begin 1 or 2 hours after your arrival time. Sometimes the operating room is running late, so have you and any friends or family that are with you bring reading material to pass the time.
After your surgery, you will be taken to the recovery room, and then back to the ambulatory surgery center if you are having an outpatient procedure, or your hospital room if you are being admitted. Outpatients are monitored for 1-3 hours after their procedure prior to being released to home.