The following information will help you prepare for your outpatient surgical experience. We will explain how to prepare for your surgery, what to expect the day of your surgery, and help you plan for your home recovery.
You should ask your surgeon what limitations to expect after surgery and for how long. Once you have this information you should: |
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Make necessary modifications to your home, such as removing small area rugs, adding support bars in the bathroom, etc. |
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Have food prepared ahead or arrange to have meals brought in to you. |
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Plan to have assistance at home. You must have someone to drive you home and stay with you for at least 24 hours after surgery. |
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Two weeks before your surgery a Pre-operative (Pre-op) nurse will contact you. This call will take approximately 10 minutes. Please be sure that your surgeon has a phone number where we may reach you. If you will be going out of town anytime during the two weeks prior to your surgery, please contact the Pre-op nurse before you leave. Pre-op nurses are available Monday through Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm. The Pre-op telephone number is 269-323-9905.
During the pre-admission phone call you will be asked questions regarding:
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Your medical and surgical history |
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Allergies |
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Current medications, including vitamins, supplements and over-the-counter medications |
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Once your health information has been reviewed the Pre-op nurse will use this information to determine if pre-operative testing is needed. If the pre-op nurse sends you for testing, please have your tests done as soon as possible. This may allow for corrections of abnormalities without having to delay your surgery. |
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Prior to your surgery it is important that you take good care of yourself. Try to get enough rest. Should you develop a cold, fever, sore throat, or other illness prior to your surgery you should contact your doctor.
The following instructions are very important and should be strictly adhered to unless otherwise instructed by your surgeon or the Pre-op nurse. If you have any questions about these instructions, contact your surgeon or Pre-op nurse at the Surgery Center of Kalamazoo at 269-323-9905.
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Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery. This includes such things as hard candy, lozenges, water or sips of other fluids, gum and chewing tobacco. It is also recommended that you not smoke after midnight before your surgery. The Pre-op nurse may instruct you to take some or all of your medications with a small amount of water the morning of your surgery. Please take only what you are instructed to take. |
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A designated adult must accompany you to the surgery center. The anesthesia and pain medications you will receive will make it unsafe for you to drive a car for 24 hours or to remain at home alone. The designated adult can be a friend, parent or spouse. The designated adult will be responsible for reviewing and signing your discharge instructions with the post-operative nurse and helping you to follow those instructions until you are able to be on your own. If a designated adult is not with you or cannot be reached by phone, your surgery will be cancelled. |
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Do not smoke immediately before or after your surgery. |
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Arrive on time for your surgery. |
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Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing. |
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Do not bring jewelry or other valuables. |
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If you wear dentures or glasses, please bring a storage case. Do not wear contact lenses. |
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Do not wear make-up. Changes in skin tone can provide valuable information to the nurses and physicians. |
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Bring your insurance cards with you the day of surgery. |
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Remember to bring any information/papers your surgeon has asked you to bring. |
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The staff of the Surgery Center of Kalamazoo understands that when children have surgery it is a stressful time for the entire family. We are well trained to meet the needs of children and their families. It is important that you prepare your child for their surgery by providing support and distraction before and after surgery.
For pediatric surgery, please follow the food and drink restrictions below:
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Children five years and younger may not have any solid food after midnight but may have clear liquids up to 2 hours before surgery. Clear liquids include water, Kool-Aid, Gatorade, apple juice, popsicles or Pedialite. Carbonated beverages are not considered clear liquids. Infants who are breast feeding may have breast milk up to 4 hours before surgery. |
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Children six years and older may have nothing after midnight. |
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Children may bring a special toy or blanket with them. |
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Children may come to the Surgery Center in their pajamas. We request that the pajamas be a two-piece set and not have feet in them. |
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Female children who have started their menstrual cycles will be required to provide a small urine specimen prior to surgery. |
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Children under 18 must have a parent or guardian with them and that parent or guardian is required to stay in the facility from admission to discharge. |
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Please do not bring other children with you to the facility the day of surgery. |
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Once your surgery is completed, you will be moved from the operating suite to the recovery room. You will remain in the recovery room until you have met discharge criteria. You will be given a light snack and fluids to drink before discharge. Your designated adult may be with you in the recovery room. Be aware that everyone reacts differently to the anesthetic medications which affects the time you will be required to remain in recovery before discharge. We will not discharge you until we are certain that it is safe to do so.
Prior to discharge you and your designated adult will be provided with written discharge instructions. These instructions will contain information about your specific type of surgery, what you may and may not do for a specified amount of time, phone numbers to contact your surgeon with questions/concerns, what to watch for and who to contact if your recovery is not progressing as expected.
Please note the following post-operative instructions:
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Every patient must be accompanied by a designated adult upon discharge. |
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We require that a designated adult stay with you the first night after surgery. |
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Do not drive a motor vehicle or operate machinery, power tools or appliances for 24 hours after surgery, longer if you are taking narcotic pain relievers. |
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Do not drink alcoholic beverages until you are off of narcotic pain relievers. |
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Do not smoke immediately before or after surgery. |
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Do not make critical decisions while taking narcotic pain relievers. |
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If you have questions, contact your surgeon or the Surgery Center of Kalamazoo at 269-323-9905. |
