As you prepare for surgery, it is important to attend all recommended and required medical appointments, including any preoperative testing. Please also:

• Notify your surgeon if you develop a fever or respiratory infection prior to your surgery
• Be careful to keep your surgery site free of blisters, bites, cuts, etc.

Food and Drink Instructions:

• Do not eat or drink after midnight. You may brush your teeth the morning of surgery but do not swallow any water.
• No chewing gum or hard candy
• Do not consume alcohol 24 hours before surgery.

Tobacco and Marijuana Products:

• No tobacco products 12 hours before surgery: cigarettes, dip, chew, vaping, e-cigs
• No marijuana products for 24 hours before and after surgery

Responsible Adult:

You must have a responsible adult bring you to the surgery center and take you home and care for you 24 hours after your surgery. We do not permit patients to go home via public transportation (bus, Uber, Lyft, etc). If you do not have a ride and caretaker, your surgery will be cancelled. The person taking you home must meet the following requirements:

• At least 18 years old
• Available by phone while you have your surgery
• Willing to sign your discharge instructions and drive you home

Nothing to eat or drink after midnight. Report to the surgery center at the time provided (our pre-operative nurse will confirm your arrival time two days before surgery). Please arrive promptly to allow adequate time for all necessary admission procedures.

What to bring

• Please bring your insurance ID cards and photo ID.
• Comfortable, loose fitting clothing for after your surgery. We will provide a hospital gown when you arrive.
•  A button-up shirt (for shoulder or hand surgery)
• Contact lenses, dentures, and any prosthesis (but you will remove these before going into the operating room)
• Any paperwork from your doctor (such as test results, a medical history, and a list of medications)

What not to bring

• Leave jewelry and all valuables at home.
• Remove body piercing jewelry
• Remove false eyelashes.
• Cell phone (leave this with your responsible adult)
• Due to limited space, please inform your family and friends that only one visitor will be allowed per patient. For minor children, two parents will be allowed to accompany the child. Please do not bring children to the surgery center. They will not be admitted to any clinical area, and children are not allowed to be unattended in the waiting area.
  

Before you leave, we will give you personalized instructions for your recovery and any prescriptions your doctor would like you to fill on the way home.

It is perfectly normal to feel discomfort in the area of the surgery. You may also experience some drowsiness or dizziness depending on the kind of anesthesia you received. Your surgeon will provide specific instructions for care while recovering at home. In the event of difficulty, please call your surgeon.

For the first 24 hours following surgery, do not engage in strenuous activities, do not drink alcoholic beverages, drive or make any important decisions. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire about the care you received. Your comments will enable us to continue to improve our services.

You will probably have some pain after your surgery. We will help manage this by using a combination of ice, nerve blocks, anti-inflammatories, and pain medication. It’s important that you take your medications exactly as you are instructed. If your pain is not controlled, please notify your surgeon.

Depending on your risk factors and type of surgery, we will be using medications and a variety of anesthesia techniques to minimize these symptoms. If you have a history of these symptoms in the past, we may prescribe medication to be taken prior to arriving at the surgery center.

There should not be excessive bleeding after your surgery. A small amount of blood on your dressing is normal. If you have excessive bleeding after your surgery, call your surgeon immediately, or go to the nearest Emergency Department.

Infection is a possible but unexpected complication after surgery. Signs of possible infection include:

• Temperature greater than 101
• Swelling, warmth, or redness at the surgical site
• Drainage at the surgical site