What to do the Day of Your Surgery

Surgery Preparations

On the morning of surgery, you should take a shower at home before coming to the hospital. Do not use any deodorants, perfumes, shaving lotions or skin lotions. You should remove all hairpins, nail polish (finger and toe) and jewelry. Wedding rings may be left on, but will be taped. Please give all your valuables to your family; the hospital cannot be responsible for them.

When you arrive at the hospital the day of surgery, please stop at the Admitting Desk in the Main Lobby. You will be assited to your room by one of our Redcoat Volunteers. You will remain in your room until surgery personnel arrive to take you to the operating room. Dentures, hearing aids and glasses should be removed at this time. Your family may go with you as far as the Surgery Waiting Room where they should stay until your operation is over so your surgeon can talk with them.

Holding Room

This is the time for you to ask any last-minute questions. You will also be seen by your Anesthesiologist, who will discuss the anesthetic with you. The Anesthesiologist will also discuss with you the options for pain management. For some types of surgery, use of an epidural catheter might be an option. If you choose the epidural catheter for pain control, it will be placed before surgery in the holding room. You may decline an epidural, however it helps greatly to control pain. While you are asleep in surgery, a tube may be placed in your bladder to drain the urine.

PACU (Recovery Room)

After your surgery, you will be moved from the operating table to your bed or cart. The Anesthesiologist will take you to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU or Recovery Room). There you will be "settled in" by specially trained nurses. Your blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm, and bandages will be checked frequently. There will be other patients in PACU. You will remain in PACU until it is safe to transfer your care to another unit.

Pain Management

Surgical Discomfort is felt differently by everyone. There are a variety of ways to control discomfort. You and your doctor will discuss your options. Options are:

• Epidurals: thread-like catheter placed in the area outside your spinal cord to bathe the nerve roots in painkillers. If an Epidural catheter is selected, it will be placed before surgery.
• PCA Machines: a unit placed on your IV pole that delivers small doses of a narcotic through your IV when you press a button.
• Oral Medications: which we will use as soon as you can tolerate them and will continue throughout your hospitalization and when you go home.

We encourage you to use your medication to relieve your discomfort because refusing it will only slow your rehabilitation;the sooner and more you move, the better. If your medicine is causing you any discomfort or unusual feelings, please tell your nurse.