Preparing for Surgery

Frequently Asked Questions Expand All

• What is the difference between outpatient surgery and inpatient surgery?

  Outpatient surgery, also called ambulatory or same-day surgery, does not always take place in a hospital. It may be done in a health care professional’s office, surgical center, or clinic. You may arrive for surgery and return home on the same day. You will need someone to drive you home.

  Inpatient surgery takes place in a hospital. You usually check in on the day of surgery and remain for a few days or more after surgery.

• What health care professionals will be involved in my surgery?

  A team of health care professionals may work together to care for you before, during, and after your operation. Nurses may assist your doctor during surgery, perform special tasks, and help make you more comfortable.

  A resident or fellow may help during your surgery. Residents are doctors who have finished medical school. They are getting special training by working with your doctor. A fellow is a fully trained doctor who is doing additional training in a specialized area.

  The anesthesiologist is the person who is in charge of giving anesthesia and checking its effects. Sometimes anesthesia is given by a nurse-anesthetist who works under the direction of an anesthesiologist.

• What can I do to help ensure my surgery will go smoothly?

  • If you smoke, try to stop smoking before your operation. General anesthesia affects the normal function of your lungs. Any period of not smoking helps. It is best if you quit at least 2 weeks before surgery. If you cannot quit, even slowing down helps. Quitting smoking before surgery has the following benefits:

    • Your risks related to anesthesia will be lower.

    • Wound healing is faster.

    • The risk of pneumonia, an infection of the lungs, is decreased.

  • If you are taking medication, ask if you should keep taking it before or after the operation. Discuss all of the medications you are taking, including those that have been prescribed for you and those that are bought over-the-counter, such as vitamins, herbs, or other supplements. Some medication should not be taken before an operation. Others may conflict with other medication prescribed for you.

  • Follow a special diet before surgery if your health care professional suggests it.

  • If you have diabetes mellitus, maintaining good control of your glucose levels before surgery may improve healing.

• What is informed consent?

  Your health care professional will explain what is involved in your treatment before you can agree to it. This process is called informed consent. You should be asked to sign a consent form before surgery. This form says that you were involved in the decision-making process with your health care professional.

  Many consent forms describe

  • the type of operation you will have
  • who will do it
  • what condition it is meant to treat or evaluate
  • risks, benefits, and alternative treatments.

  Read the consent form closely. Ask questions if there is something you do not understand. Have your health care professional go over anything that is not clear to you.

  If it is not possible for you, the patient, to sign the form, you can have a stand-in decision maker sign it for you.

• What is an advance directive?

  An advance directive is a legal document that tells your health care professionals about the types of care you want to receive if you are not able to make medical decisions. Advance directives should be considered before you have surgery. You can get advance directive forms from your health care professional, legal office, or state health department.

• What is involved in a presurgery checkup?

  A week or two before your surgery, you may need to have a physical exam and tests. Tests may include lab tests of your blood and urine, a chest X-ray, and an electrocardiogram. An electrocardiogram is a test of heart function with an instrument that prints out the results as a graph.

  Tell your health care professional about any changes in your health, medications, or symptoms that happen before your operation, even minor colds or infections.

• What do I need to do the day before surgery?

  Depending on the type of surgery, your health care professional may recommend using a laxative and eating lightly. Do not drink alcohol 24 hours before surgery. You also may be asked to use an enema at home a day or two before some types of surgery.

  You may be told not to eat or drink anything for 6 to 12 hours before surgery. If you have had something to eat or drink during this time, tell your health care professional. If you have diabetes, ask the health care professional when you can have your last meal. You also can discuss which medicines you may take with a sip of water on the morning of surgery.

• What do I need to do the day of surgery?

  You may be asked to arrive early to prepare for the surgery. If you have insurance, bring your insurance card with you.

  Before leaving home, shower, wash your hair, and remove any nail polish or acrylic nails. Do not wear makeup. Leave jewelry and other things of value at home. All jewelry usually needs to be removed from your body before the operation.

  If you will be staying overnight, bring only items you will need, including a case for glasses, contact lenses, or dentures.

  You may be given an ID bracelet. It should include your name, birth date, and health care professional's name.

  Be prepared to go over your health history, as well as any allergies to drugs, food, or latex (some surgical gloves are made of latex). You may be asked what medications you are taking.

• What may happen right before surgery?

  Just before surgery, preoperative preparation takes place. The steps vary, but you may experience the following:

  • You may be asked to remove

    • dentures and bridges

    • hearing aids

    • contact lenses and glasses

    • wigs, hairpins, combs, and other hair accessories

    • jewelry

  • You will change from your clothes into a hospital gown and maybe a cap. Steps may be taken to help prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a risk with all types or surgery. You may be given special stockings to wear, or inflatable devices may be put on your legs. You may be given drugs to reduce the risk of DVT.

  • You will be taken to an area to wait until the surgical team is ready for you. Some places allow family members or friends to wait with you.

  • A health care professional will confirm your name, birth date, and type of surgery before you go to the operating room. If the operation is to be done on one side of your body, the site may be marked with a special pen.

  • An anesthesiologist will discuss which type of anesthesia you will receive during the operation.

  • A tube called an intravenous (IV) line may be placed into a vein in your arm or wrist. It is used for supplying your body with fluids, medication, or blood during and after the surgery.

  • You may be given medication to help you relax. You also may be given other medications, such as antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection.

• What will happen once I am in the operating room?

  After you are taken into the operating room, you are moved to the operating table. Monitors are attached to various parts of your body to measure your pulse, oxygen level, and blood pressure.

  The surgical team may again ask you your name, date of birth, and what operation you are having. A final review of medical records and tests may be done. This final confirmation is called a "time-out," and it is done for your safety. The time-out may be done before you are given a sedative, or you may not be awake during the time-out.

  If you are having general anesthesia, it is given through your IV line. After you are asleep, a tube called a catheter may be placed in your bladder to drain urine.

• What may happen after the operation is over?

  Once the operation is over, you are moved into the recovery area. This area is equipped to monitor patients after surgery.

  Many patients feel groggy, confused, and chilly when they wake up after an operation. Let a health care professional know if you have a headache or nausea. You may have muscle aches or a sore throat shortly after surgery.

  These problems should not last long. You can ask for medicine to relieve them. You should remain in the recovery room until you are stable.

  During your recovery, you may receive antibiotics and other medicines. Be sure to ask for enough pain relievers to keep you comfortable.

  You may still have an IV line for fluids. It may take a few days before you are able to eat solid food. Sometimes the pain medicine may cause you to have little memory of the day of surgery.

• How soon can I move around after surgery?

  As soon as possible, your nurses should have you move around as much as you can. You may be encouraged to get out of bed and walk around soon after your operation. You may feel tired and weak at first. The sooner you resume activity, the sooner your body’s functions can get back to normal.

• What things do I need to know before I go home?

  Before you leave, a health care professional should go over any instructions on diet, medicine, and care of your incision. You should be told what things or activities you should avoid and for how long.

  You should know who to call if you have a problem and about the signs of a problem, such as a fever or increased vaginal bleeding. Also remember that many pain medications cause constipation. Ask your health care professional how to prevent this problem.

  You should not drive right after outpatient surgery. Arrange to have someone drive you home when you are ready to check out. Do not operate heavy machinery, make important legal decisions, or drink alcohol for the next 24 hours.

  Here is a list of questions you should ask your health care professional:

  • What medicines should I take and when? Can I also take vitamins, herbs, and supplements?

  • What and when should I eat?

  • What signs of complications or infection should I look for?

  • When should I see my health care provider again?

  • What will happen to my stitches or staples?

  • When and how can I shower or bathe?

  • How much weight can I lift, and can I bend over?

  • When can I drive, and when can I go back to work?

  • When can I have sex again?

• How long will it take to recover?

  If you have had major inpatient surgery, it will most likely take a month or more before you are ready to resume your normal schedule. Minor operations require less recovery time, but you may need to cut back on certain activities for a while.

• Glossary

  Anesthesia: Relief of pain by loss of sensation.

  Anesthesiologist: A doctor who is an expert in pain relief.

  Antibiotics: Drugs that treat certain types of infections.

  Catheter: A tube used to drain fluid from or give fluid to the body.

  Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): A condition in which a blood clot forms in veins in the leg or other areas of the body.

  Diabetes Mellitus: A condition in which the levels of sugar in the blood are too high.

  General Anesthesia: The use of drugs that create a sleep-like state to prevent pain during surgery.

  Glucose: A sugar in the blood that is the body’s main source of fuel.

  Informed Consent: The process by which a patient gains an understanding of the risks and benefits of a medical procedure or treatment as well as the alternatives.

  Intravenous (IV) Line: A tube inserted into a vein and used to deliver medication or fluids.