Before Surgery

• Do not eat or drink anything after midnight before surgery including mints or candy, except clear liquids, which are permitted up until 2 hours prior to the scheduled arrival time, unless otherwise instructed by your physician.
• No liquids should be consumed after midnight if there is a history or symptoms of gastric reflux (GERD), nausea, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, abdominal pain, or cancer of the stomach or esophagus.
• Liquids to avoid include: milk, cream, high caffeine beverages and energy drinks, orange or pineapple juice, smoothies and milk shakes, and alcoholic drinks.
• Allowable clear liquids include the following: water, sports drinks (i.e. Gatorade, Powerade), apple or cranberry juice, black coffee or tea without cream/milk, carbonated beverages and sodas. Note: Limit caffeinated beverages to less than 16 ounces.
• If you have been instructed to take medications, take with a sip of water.

• Prior to surgery, the following items will need to be removed. Contacts, body/facial piercings, jewelry including earrings, hearing aids and dentures.
• Please create a plan for safekeeping. Storage cases will be provided if needed and kept with your clothing bad in a secured location until you arrive to your surgical floor.
• It is recommended that a responsible adult assist you after your surgery.
• Encourage patients to arrange for a responsible person to remain with them at home and reinforce to the patient, not to drive through the evening and night following their procedure.
• Please remove and leave contact lenses at home if possible. If this is not an option, please bring solution and a storage case.
• You may NOT drive yourself home after anesthesia. A responsible adult must accompany you in taking a car, cab, bus, train or van.
• If you use a CPAP machine for sleep apnea, please bring it with you on the day of your procedure.
• Bring your insurance card and ID with you to the hospital.
• Follow any special diet instructions given by your surgeon.

• You may brush your teeth, but do not swallow.
• Remove nail polish and/or artificial nails on the operative side if having surgery on your hands, feet or legs.
• Bring a case for eyeglasses.
• Wear loose fitting clothes. If you are having surgery above the waist, a button-down shirt will be easier to put on after surgery.
• Take a shower with soap and water and pay attention to cleaning the surgical area. Do not shave the surgical area with a razor. Dry yourself with a clean towel and put on clean clothes.
• Call your surgeon before surgery if you do not feel well or develop any signs of illness, cold, fever, sore throat, chest pain or difficulty breathing.

• Please bring a list of all of your medications with doses and time of day taken (this list includes over the counter medications, herbal supplements, aspirin, inhalers, creams, patches, etc).
• Do not take any herbal medications or vitamins for 7 days before your procedure.
• Do not take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) for 7 days before surgery. These include but are not limited to: Ibuprofen/Motrin, Advil, Daypro,Naprosyn or Feldene.
• If you are having pain or discomfort it is okay to take acetaminophen (Tylenol) unless you have been instructed otherwise.
• If you are taking blood thinners/anticoagulants (including aspirin), it is extremely important that you talk to your surgeon to see if you should continue these medications or not before surgery

Your surgeon’s office may have provided you with an approximate time of surgery. However, please know that we will send you your official arrival time for surgery via text and/or voice call.

You will receive a call and/or a text after 3 pm the day before surgery, telling you what time you should arrive. If your surgery is scheduled for a Monday, you will receive your call or message the Friday before.