Your Guide to Surgery

Your Role in Preparing for Surgery

Before leaving your home:

• Leave all valuables.
• Arrange for someone to take your belongings to your room if you are being admitted.
• Wear comfortable, loose clothing.
• Remove all make-up, mascara, and hairpins.
• Remove nail polish if you are having hand or foot surgery.
• Remove all body piercings.
• Remove contact lenses (for patients having eye surgery, remove contacts per your surgeons instructions).
• Bring sensory aids (i.e., hearing aides, eyeglasses, etc.)
• If you have a living will or an advance directive, bring a copy with you.

Please arrange for a responsible adult to drive you to and from the surgery center and have a responsible person stay with you for 24 hours after the procedure.

Follow your surgeon’s instructions regarding medications:
You may need to stop some of your medication prior to your operation. For example: aspirin, ibuprofen, Vitamin E, herbals, anticoagulants, diabetic medicine, MAO inhibitors.

• You may want to write them down and the dates your doctor wants you to stop before surgery.
• Medications to stop and when:
  _____________________________________________
• If you have diabetes, your doctor or pre-op nurse will give you specific instructions regarding your diabetic medication.

Herbal Remedies

Combined with anesthesia, herbal remedies may have a mild to severe effect on your heart, blood vessels and circulation.

Certain herbals, such as Ma Huang and diet remedies containing Ephedra alkaloids must be discontinued at least two weeks prior to anesthesia. The following are a listing of these products:

Herbals that may enhance effects of anticoagulant medications could cause bleeding:

Supplements associated with coagulant properties (may inhibit effects of anticoagulants):

• Barberry
• Oregon Grape Root
• Shepherd’s Purse

Supplements associated with anticoagulants (may enhance effects of anticoagulant medicines and cause bleeding):

• Chamomile
• Dong Quai
• Horse Chestnut

Preparing for Your Procedure

Appointments

• Surgical Procedure Date
  Appointment Date: ________________________
• Explanation of Procedure
  Consent Signed: _________________________
• Physical Examination:
  Your primary care physician, or your surgeon, must examine you before having a procedure and anesthesia.
  Appointment Date/Time: ___________________
• Laboratory Tests: □ yes □ no
  This service will perform tests requested by your surgeon prior to your surgery.
  Appointment Date/Time: ___________________
• Other Tests: □ yes □ no
  This service will perform specific procedures requested by your surgeon.
  Appointment Date/Time: ___________________
• Physician Consultations: □ yes □ no
  Your surgeon may want a specialist to examine you before you are given anesthesia to help decide what medication to give you to put you to sleep.
  Appointment Date/Time: ___________________
  Appointment Date/Time: ___________________
• Pre-Admission Testing Unit
  Appointment Date/Time: ___________________
• Post Op Visit
  Appointment Date/Time: ___________________

A UConn Procedures Center nurse will call you to review the pre-op instructions.

Things to Remember the Day Before Surgery

• Do not eat or drink anything after midnight.
• Do not chew gum after midnight.
• It is very important that you take all your medications according to your normal schedule even on the morning of surgery with a sip of water (except for the medications your doctor has requested you stop).
• Shower with anti-bacterial soap/prescription soap.
• Bring any special clothing or equipment you are required to use.
• Additional specific instructions:
  ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________

Please call the UConn Procedures Center, 860-679-1212, after noon and before 5 p.m. the day before your procedure for the time you should arrive.

Things to Expect Following Surgery

You will be discharged from the UConn Procedures Center when your doctor determines it is safe for you to leave the hospital.

If you are being admitted to the hospital for recovery and care, you should anticipate a time of 11 a.m. on the day your doctor discharges you from the hospital.

At the time of discharge you should have:

• A responsible adult to drive you home.
• A prescription for pain relievers, when necessary.
• Use this pain assessment chart to help you describe your pain to the doctor or nurse.
  
  Intensity: 0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

  
  No pain--------------------------------------Worst pain
  
  

• Instructions for:
  • Bathing/showering
  • Diet
  • Physical activity
  • Returning to work/normal activities

Directions to the UConn Procedures Center

Drive into the hospital complex from the main driveway on Farmington Avenue. Shortly after the second stop sign you will see an entrance and sign on your right labeled UConn Procedures. Turn into this entrance and follow the road (signs) up to the UConn Procedures Center entrance. Enter through the glass electric doors and check in at the front desk, which is immediately inside.