If you have been scheduled to have general anesthesia/sedation for your surgery, it is essential that you do not eat or drink anything for 8 hours before surgery. Any liquid or solid food in your stomach during anesthesia can have life-threatening consequences. If you have accidentally eaten anything prior to surgery, inform the doctor immediately.
If you are on medication for your heart or blood pressure every morning, please take them the morning of surgery.
If you take insulin for diabetes, DO NOT take your insulin or eat breakfast.
Please bring your insulin with your kit to the office, and we will treat you as needed with the insulin prescribed by your primary care physician.
Please DO NOT smoke or ingest alcoholic beverages for at least 24 hours prior to surgery. Please brush your teeth prior to your appointment. This will help reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth and lower your chance of an infection.
Please bring a responsible adult to wait in the waiting room during the procedure and drive you home afterwards. You will be groggy for several hours after your surgery and unable to drive. If you have been given a prescription to take prior to surgery, make arrangements to be driven to the office. Do not drive yourself. Sedative medications can act quickly and seriously affect your driving ability.
Wear loose-fitting and comfortable clothing. We recommend a short-sleeved shirt for ease in taking your blood pressure and applying monitors. A T-shirt, sweat pants, and gym shoes are always a good choice. Also, if you wear nail polish, it is important that it is all removed from your finger nails prior to your appointment.
Take care of financial arrangements, ask questions and use the bathroom before surgery. You will be too sleepy to remember these things afterward.
Call if you have any questions concerning these instructions or your scheduled appointment.
While the thought of any surgery can be a little frightening, our patients usually find it to be a comfortable, pleasant, and painless experience. Please let us know if there is anything that we can do to accommodate you.