Pre-Operative Instructions
Information you need to bring to the hospital/surgery center:
* Insurance card
* Your medical information and past medical history
* List of your medications, doses, and any allergies
Diet and Medications:
* Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery unless specifically instructed otherwise. During the anesthesia, what you have put into your stomach can be aspirated into your lungs, a potentially life-threatening condition!
* If you take very important medications such as heart medications, you may take these on your regular schedule with a small sip of water
* Do not take Aspirin or other similar medications like Ibuprofen, Motrin, Aleve, Celebrex, etc. for one week before your surgery unless specifically instructed otherwise by Dr. Purdy or your primary care physician
* If you are diabetic, discuss insulin/medication management for the morning and day of surgery with your primary care physician or endocrinologist, and be sure to inform the anesthesiologist
* If you take blood thinners such as Plavix, Coumadin, or Warfarin, you will need to stop these prior to surgery, with the schedule recommended by our office in coordination with your other treating physicians
Clothes and Jewelry:
* Wear loose comfortable clothes to the hospital, with sleeves that can fit over a very bulky dressing
* Leave ALL jewelry at home, including wedding rings
* The hospital/surgery center will not be responsible for your valuables
Preparing your hands for surgery:
* Be sure not to get any cuts, scratches, or blisters before your surgery! This could result in cancellation of your surgery as it can result in an unacceptable risk of infection. Many surgeries have had to be rescheduled after the zeal of a patient to complete all house and yard work prior to surgery results in compromise of their operative site
* Clean under your fingernails carefully the last few days before surgery and remove any artificial nails or fingernail polish
Preparing for your day at the hospital/surgery center:
* Arrange for someone to drive you home from the hospital/surgery center after surgery
* You will NOT be allowed to drive yourself, NOR ride in a cab/bus alone
* Bring something to read as there is often a lot of waiting time at the hospital/surgery center
Medications:
* Fill your prescription for your post-operative medications and take as directed
* Be sure to discuss with Dr. Purdy any bad reactions to previous pain medications as well as any pain medications you are currently or already taking
Herbal supplements:
* If you use these, discuss them with us, as you may need to stop taking them up to 2 weeks prior to your surgery