Before Surgery FAQ's
F.A.Q.'s Before Surgery
- Do I need to visit the Center before my surgery date?
- May I pre-register for my surgery?
- What if I cannot make my appointment?
- What should I wear?
- Why must I refrain from eating and/or drinking prior to surgery?
- Should I take my usual daily medication?
- May I continue my herbal medications?
- Who may accompany me?
- Will I receive sedation before going into the operating room?
- Will I be contacted before my surgery?
- Should I bathe and wash my hair before leaving home?
- What should I do if I am not feeling well?
- What should I do if I believe that I am pregnant?
- May I drive home?
- May I speak to my anesthesiologist before the surgery?
- What if I have special needs?
- Should I bring my special needs equipment?
- What must I bring with me on the day of surgery?
- How will my pain be managed?
Do I need visit the Surgery Center before surgery date?
All patients will need an up-to-date medical history and physical form. Some may need blood tests, EKG or Xrays. Your surgeon will advise where you will have this done.
Some families may elect to bring their children in for a preoperative tour of the ambulatory surgery center.
Some patients may choose to come to the surgery center before their surgery date to complete paperwork or make payments. We strongly recommend that you complete all preoperative documentation before the day of surgery.
May I pre-register for my surgery?
Yes. We strongly encourage you to have completed all the registration forms before the day of surgery.
What if I cannot make my appointment?
Please notify the surgeon and the Gateway Surgery Center at 425.374.5160 as early as possible if you cannot make your scheduled appointment. Early notification can help us better accommodate you and other patients.
Please wear comfortable clothing. Button-down shirts or blouses are best. Wear comfortable shoes. Leave all jewelry at home, including body-piercing jewelry. If you wear contact lenses, you will probably have to remove them for the surgery, so consider bringing your glasses. If you have to wear your contacts, please bring contact solution and contacts case. Please do not wear any make-up as this can hide certain clinical signs.
Why must I refrain from eating and/or drinking prior to surgery?
You refrain from eating and/or drinking prior to surgery in order to prevent the risks of aspirating gastric contents during your surgery. This complication is very serious and you need to strictly abide by our recommendations.
Should I take my usual daily medication?
We generally request that you hold all medications until after your surgery. We will usually hold diabetic medicines and manage your blood sugar at the surgery center. We generally will have patients take, with a sip of water on the morning of surgery, blood pressure and heart medications, acid reflux medications, anti-seizure medications, Parkinson's medications, and asthma medications/inhalers. You will be contacted by a preoperative nurse who will discuss your medication list and advise you on which medications to take. Please bring all your medications with you.
People using inhalers must bring them to the surgery center on the day of surgery.
Some medications will be stopped for the surgery, particularly diabetes medication/insulin and blood thinners (like Coumadin/Warfarin, Plavix, Ticlid, Lovenox, Heparin.) You should bring these medications with you the day of surgery. Please call us with any questions you may have.
May I continue my herbal medications?
Herbal medications may have harmful effects on the surgery. Many of these remedies may effect your clotting mechanism and interfere with the anesthetic agents. (The list of drugs and their side effects are too great for this site.) We generally request that you stop these medications two weeks before surgery. Please remember to mention these remedies with your surgeon at the preop visit and when being asked about your current medications.
You are welcome to bring one person with you to the surgery center. That person will be allowed to sit with you after the surgery in the recovery room if you so choose.
When a patient is a child, often two parents and/or guardians will accompany him or her to the surgery center. We will do our best to accommodate everyone, however, one parent and/or guardian will be permitted into the recovery room at a time, and one parent and/or guardian MUST remain in the waiting room while the child is undergoing their procedure in the OR.
Please refrain from bringing young children to the surgery center as guests.
Will I receive sedation before going into the operating room?
We will individualize each patient's care. Most patients walk into the operating room themselves. Therefore, preoperative medication is minimized.
Will I be contacted before my surgery?
Yes. We call each patient before the surgery to gather information and to helpful to us and hopefully answer any of your questions. Preoperative instructions will be given by the nurse who calls you. You can also call Gateway Surgery Center directly at 425.374.5160 with any questions.
Should I bathe and wash my hair before leaving home?
Yes. Please take a shower, bathe, brush your teeth, etc. Please do not use make up, hair spray, nail polish or toiletries. These may interfere with the anesthesia monitoring and possibly hide clinical signs from the anesthesiologist.
What should I do if I am not feeling well?
If you are not feeling well, please contact your surgeon immediately. During normal business hours, you can call the surgery center for advice. There are some surgeries which are safer if delayed when you are sick. We need to know specific details to make the decision. Please do not delay in contacting your surgeon or the surgery center.
What should I do if I believe that I am pregnant?
It is very important for us to be aware of this possibility. Only essential surgery is done on pregnant patients. If there is any doubt please contact us immediately.
Any patient receiving anesthesia, including IV sedation, should not drive until the next day. The few patients who have procedures performed under "local only" anesthesia could possibly drive home if permission from their surgeon is obtained.
We strongly recommend that all patients have a ride home and will be received by a responsible adult when they arrive home. Patients will not be allowed to drive, walk or take public transportation after sedation and anesthesia. Please make the appropriate arrangements.
May I speak to my anesthesiologist before the surgery?
All patients will be seen by the anesthesiologist on the day of surgery prior to entering the operating room. Sufficient time should be spent to answer any questions you may have. If you need to speak to the anesthesiologist before the day of surgery, you are welcome to call Gateway Surger Center and we will arrange for you speak with an anesthesiologist. We can also arrange a preoperative interview if you desire.
We will make every effort to accommodate any special need you may have. We strongly encourage you to call the surgery center in advance so that we can properly prepare to make you comfortable. Do not hesitate to call and suggest anything that may make your day easier.
Should I bring my special needs equipment?
Yes. Please bring any walkers, post-op crutches, hearing aids, glasses case, contact lens solution/case, etc.
What must I bring with me on the day of surgery?
- Bring case for eyeglasses or contacts
- Bring insurance identification cards, driver's license, completed billing forms, copayments
- Bring all medication, including inhalers and insulin
- Bring your portable CPAP machine if you have sleep apnea
- Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing
- Leave all jewelry and valuables at home
- Bring special equipment like crutches, walker, etc...
- Bring pillows to elevate your surgical site for the ride home
- Make sure you have a ride home and someone to care for you at home for 24 hrs
The management of your pain is of great importance to us. We will be assessing your level of pain from the time of admission until you receive our postoperative call at home. We need to inform and prepare you for each step of the process. This education will begin with our first contact. You will be repeatedly asked to rate your pain from a numerical scale (#1 being just a little pain, #10 being the worse pain ever.) Using the results of our communication, we will alter the therapy as needed in order to ensure your comfort.
The management of your pain will be taken very seriously. We will often use a combination of different modalities to help make you comfortable, choosing from oral medications, intravenous medications, nerve blocks, injection of local anesthetic during the surgery, etc. and prior to the surgery, the management of your pain should be discussed with both your anesthesiologist and surgeon. Please feel free to bring up any concerns or fears you may have. Remember that information on pain management gives you the appropriate expectations and hence a smoother, more comfortable recovery.
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