PATIENT PRE-OP INSTRUCTIONS
Please read prior to the day of surgery
- Do NOT eat or drink anything after Midnight the evening before you are scheduled for surgery.
This includes NOT drinking water, coffee or tea after midnight prior to surgery
- If you do, your surgery will unfortunately be canceled
Do NOT smoke, chew gum, eat hard candy or breathe mints ON THE DAY OF SURGERY
Do NOT take any medications on the day of surgery unless approved by your physician
If you are ill, have a cold or other ailment or suffer any changes in your physical condition, please notify your physician prior to your surgery
On the night or morning of your surgery, take a bath or shower and wash your hair – do NOT apply lotion or make-up
Wear loose and comfortable clothing on the day of surgery that will fit over bulky surgical dressings or braces
Remove contact lenses, make-up, earrings and all jewelry (including body jewelry). If you wear your contacts to the facility, bring your storage case.
Please bring your insurance card, driver’s license and copay/deductible if indicated.
You must have a ride home from surgery. We will not be able to do your surgery if you do not have a responsible person to accompany you home from the hospital.
We will NOT discharge you to a taxi, public transport or ride-share service in any circumstance.
PATIENT POST-OP INSTRUCTIONS
Breathing / Prevention of Respiratory Problems:
- It is not uncommon to experience low grade fevers after surgery. It is encouraged that patients spend much of their day upright, even if seated in a recliner. Lying flat all day is not healthy for our lungs.
- When lying on your back in your bed at night, please place pillows under you to raise your head/torso to better allow you to take deep breaths
For the 1st week post-op, take 10 deep breaths every hour while awake.
Swelling:
Swelling is not uncommon in the early stage of recovery; ice and elevation help reduce swelling
For knee procedures:
Ice & elevate regularly. Keeping the leg lower (dependent) worsens the swelling and can be painful.
Ankle pumps: please perform for 2 minutes every hour you are awake.
Do NOT put a pillow under your knee. You may put it under your foot/calf. Putting it under your knee will cause difficulty obtaining range of motion after surgery.
For ankle procedures:
Ice & elevate regularly. Keeping the leg lower (dependent) worsens the swelling and can be painful.
For shoulder/elbow procedures:
Ice regularly. Movement of the wrist and hand (if permitted) will reduce upper extremity swelling.
You may notice some bruising down the arm after shoulder surgery.
Please perform gentle range of motion of the elbow, wrist and hand every hour you are awake. You may use your laptop/type
Wound Care:
Pets should not be allowed to sit on your lap or sleep in your bed for at least 6 weeks after surgery. Pets may harbor organisms that could cause an infection!
Dressing changes:
- The first dressing change will occur 48-hours after surgery. After that, op-site dressings are typically placed over the incisions. If a special dressing is needed, our team will provide you with these details on the day of surgery.
- Steri-strips fall off on their own after about 10-14 days. If the edges start to come up, just clip them shorter, do NOT pull them off.
- Waterproof dressings must be used to cover the incision sites in the shower for 2-weeks following surgery.
- The waterproof dressings should be changed every other day (every other shower).
- Following this period, the incision sites do not need to be covered in the shower.
No antibiotic ointment should be applied until the sutures have been removed AND it has been greater than 28 days since surgery.
Post-Operative Showering & Bathing:
You will be able to shower two days after surgery with your wound covered with a waterproof dressing. Gently pat the wound dry if it gets wet. Continue to cover the wound during showers for 14 days after surgery.
You may NOT immerse in baths, hot tubs, lakes, oceans, or other bodies of water for 1 month after surgery.
Present to an emergency department immediately if you experience:
- Fever, chills or sweats.
- Chest pain, difficulty breathing or cough.
- Calf swelling, redness, pain or warmth.
