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What To Do Before Surgery:
1) Stop taking Aspirin, Motrin, Advil, Aleve, Vitamin E, St. John’s wort, Ginko biloboa, Feverfew, Ginseng, Echinacea, and any anti-inflammatories ONE week prior to surgery. Stop Glucosamine and Chondroitin and any diet pills TWO weeks prior to surgery.
2) Stop smoking five days prior to surgery. Smokers have 100% longer recovery time with high risk of failed surgery.
3) Take a multi-vitamin with at least 500mg Vitamin C a day for the week prior and several weeks after surgery.
4) Take two Tylenol Extra Strength 4 times a day, the day before surgery to decrease surgical pain.
5) Pre-operative check list:
• EKG (All patients > 45 yrs old, within 3 months of surgery)
• Chest x-ray (All patients > 65 years old, within 3 months of surgery)
• Pre-operative clearance by a primary care physician (Recommended depending on current medical status)
• Cold Therapy Unit (Most surgeries except Hip Surgery)
• CPM machine (Continuous Passive Motion) used for the following:
» ACL Reconstruction
» Hip Osteoplasty Surgery
» ORIF Osteochondral Fracture
» Hip or Knee Cartilage Restoration Surgery
• My pre-operative appointment is on:
• My post-operative appointment is on:
• My surgery is scheduled for: __________ Time: __________ **
**Surgery time available the day before surgery for surgeries at Newport Center Surgical 949-706-6300. For surgeries at Hoag Surgicare Fashion
Island surgery time will be provided at the pre-operative appointment.
There will be a non-refundable fee of $150.00 for any surgeries that are cancelled or rescheduled. Some surgeries require an Assistant Surgeon and you will receive a separate bill.
THIS MAY NOT BE COVERED BY YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY.
The Pre-Operative Instructions
1) You will be asked if you have any allergies and for a complete list of medications you take. Please let us know of any rashes, cuts,
abrasions, or infections you may have.
2) If you have any history of excessive snoring, breathing problems, or sleep apnea, even years ago, this needs to be evaluated prior
to surgery.
3) Do not shave the extremity two days prior to surgery. On the morning of surgery, shower with cleansing soap from head to toe.
4) Pre-arrange your home environment for your convenience after surgery. Establish where you will recuperate (your bed, living room sofa,
a reclining chair, or in the guest room). For shoulder surgeries, it is often most comfortable to sleep in a "beach chair" position, reclining
chair, or place cushions against the head board of your bed.
5) Dress in comfortable clothes for the trip to the surgery center and for recovery. You must have someone take you to and pick you up from
the surgery center.
6) Do not eat or drink anything (including water) after midnight before surgery to prevent vomiting while you are anesthetized, unless you
are instructed differently from the anesthesiologist. If you take medications for blood pressure or anxiety you may take them with small sips
of water the morning of surgery.
Post-Operative Instructions
1) Your caretaker will be notified as soon as the surgery is finished and may see you in recovery in 20-30 minutes.
2) Do not remove dressings for 2 days (48 hours); however, you may adjust the ace bandage if it feels too tight. After 48 hours, you may remove
your dressings. Do not be alarmed if your dressings are fairly bloody. Also, the cold therapy pad may cause the area to be moist. Leave the
steriips (white pieces of tape covering the incision) in place. You may let the shower water run over the steriips. Please no baths for
10 days because the incisions should not be soaked in water during that time.
3) You should get up and walk every few hours and take deep breaths to prevent pneumonia, bed sores, blood clots and a myriad of other complications.
For lower extremity surgery, you will be able to get around on crutches.
4) You should apply ice to the operative site after surgery to reduce pain and swelling. For knee and shoulder surgeries, we recommend use of the
cold therapy unit in place of ice. Remember to always have something between your skin and the ice/cold therapy pad, an old T-shirt or thin dish towel
is adequate. Plan to have the cold therapy unit up to 5-7 days after surgery. THE COLD THERAPY UNIT MAY NOT BE COVERED BY YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY.
5) You may experience constipation post-operatively from inactivity and pain medicine. You will benefit from increasing your fluid intake to 1 1/2
quarts of juice or water per day. Stool softeners or mild laxatives are recommended, such as Colace or Senokot.
6) Except in all upper extremity (shoulder) surgeries and ACL reconstruction, take one 325mg Aspirin tablet daily beginning the day after surgery
for at least 2 weeks. It helps prevent formation of blood clots and phlebitis. Do not take aspirin if you have a history of stomach ulcers, internal
bleeding or intolerance to aspirin.
7) Elevate your affected limb to the level of your heart to reduce pain and swelling. Make sure to take it easy for the first week following surgery.
8) Pain medications are prescribed at the pre-operative appointment. The following pain medications are generally used:
• Senokot-S for constipation
• Vicodin (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) for moderate pain
• Darvocet (propoxyphene/acetaminophen) for moderate pain
• OxyContin (oxycodone controlled-release) for severe or long lasting pain relief
• Robaxin (methocarbamol) a muscle relaxer
• Zofran for nausea
• Phenergan for nausea
9) Keep the steristrips in place for 7-10 days. If the steriips do come off early, apply over-the-counter antibiotic ointment (such as Neosporin) to
moisten the wound. Use a band aid to cover the wound. Keep the wound covered until it is healed. Change the ointment and covering every day or two. When
showering, remove the bandage and replace with a clean one after the shower. Do not pick at the wound as you may increase the chances of additional scar.
Keep the scar out of the sun or covered with sunscreen for 6 months. After healing is complete, you may massage the scar gently but firmly with the tips
of your fingers to soften the scar and help minimize its appearance.
10) If you have any of the following problems call the office immediately. If you cannot contact me or my staff, go to the emergency room to have the
situation checked: fever, chills or inordinate pain, excessive bleeding through the dressing, * calf or leg pains that make it difficult to walk, * numbness,
coldness or tingling in the foot, chest pain, signs of infection including red streaks or pus from the wound.
11) Ask for a temporary parking pass if you have had lower limb surgery
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