Preparing for Surgery
Knowing what to expect from surgery will provide comfort to you and your family. Please review the following information prior to surgery and use it as a guideline. The goal is to enter into surgery comfortable with both the procedure and the recovery. Schedule surgery at a time that suits both you and your family/care provider. There is generally no rush to have surgery until you are ready.
We will work with you to select a surgery date. Once the surgery has been scheduled, Yale-New Haven Health will contact your insurance company. We will make every effort to pre-authorize surgery and to provide them any requested information. If you have any questions about coverage for your surgery, please contact your insurance company directly.
Optimize Your Health
- Being in the best possible health condition prior to surgery decreases the risk of complications both during and after surgery.
- Prior to surgery, aerobic exercise and a healthy lifestyle are very important.
- As you will likely be using crutches after surgery, it is important to ensure that your upper body will be able to support you.
- If you smoke, this will affect both your risks from anesthesia, as well as increase the risk of infection and non-healing after surgery. It is therefore strongly encouraged that you quit smoking prior to surgery.
- Decrease your use of narcotic medication as much as possible prior to surgery; this will improve your ability to control your pain after surgery.
Pre-Operative Lab Work and Assessment
- If you have any significant medical conditions, you will need to see the relevant specialists for medical evaluation prior to surgery. Sometimes it is necessary that these be completed prior to obtaining a date for surgery.
- The hospital’s pre-op nurses will contact you to obtain your medical history prior to surgery.
- Important issues to consider that may require additional testing prior to surgery:
- Heart or lung problems (past or present)
- Kidney problems
- Stroke/TIA
- Diabetes
- Blood thinners (Coumadin, Plavix, Eliquis, Pradaxa, Xarelto). You must contact your prescribing physician and/or surgeon for further instructions.
- Any cold/cough symptoms within 4 weeks of surgery
- Rheumatoid Arthritis or long-term Cancer medications (these may or may not need to be stopped 2-3 weeks prior to surgery)
- Taking aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) (these may or may not need to be stopped one week prior to surgery)
Preparing Your Home for Surgery
- Arrange for a responsible adult to be with you for at least the first 24 hours after surgery to provide assistance and to ensure that you recover from anesthesia well. In most cases, you will need to plan to be home for most of the first week after surgery. It is important that you have the help and support that you need during that time; please arrange this prior to surgery and be realistic about your needs.
- After surgery, it is important to be able to elevate your leg above the level of your heart. Have some firm pillows or couch cushions available to put under your ankle for elevation.
- Stock up on groceries, movies, books, etc.
- Arrange for child/pet care ahead of time, if necessary.
Physical Therapy
- It is important to schedule your post-op physical therapy appointments BEFORE your surgery, in order to ensure that you are able to start on time. Sometimes a home exercise program may be appropriate – please discuss this with Dr Gardner prior to surgery. The referral for physical therapy will come from Dr Gardner. The specific protocol may not be provided until your post-op appointment in order to accurately reflect the procedure performed.
- It can also be helpful to confirm your physical therapy benefits with your insurance carrier, as sometimes there are limits placed upon the number of visits.
Return to Work/School
- It is helpful to discuss your preliminary plans for time off from work/school prior to surgery. If there is any paperwork that needs to be completed, sometimes this can be done before surgery; other times it needs to be completed after surgery. But advanced preparation is very helpful.
The Day Before Surgery
- You should receive a call from the hospital on the afternoon prior to surgery – be sure to answer your phone. They will tell you what time to arrive on the day of surgery.
- Sometimes, Dr Gardner’s assistant will also call you with the arrival time. If there is discrepancy in the times given, listen to Dr Gardner’s assistant!
- It is important not to be late for your arrival time, as your surgery could be delayed or cancelled.
- Please shower or bathe prior to coming in for surgery. It may be 2-3days before you will be able to shower. Be cautious with shaving around the surgical site prior to surgery in the event that you may cut yourself and develop a local infection. If there is any redness or skin abnormality around your surgical site, please contact Dr Gardner’s office immediately.
- Contact Dr Gardner’s office if you feel ill within 48 hours of surgery
- Prepare to have a family member/care provider available to speak with Dr Gardner immediately after surgery. Dr Gardner will speak to you after the surgery as well, but because of the anesthesia medications, your ability to retain the information is often poor.
- Eat simply the day prior to surgery. Drink lots of water for 1-3 days prior to surgery. This will improve your recovery and make it easier to place your IV prior to surgery.
- Do not eat after midnight prior to surgery. You may brush your teeth and rinse your mouth but do not swallow. During your pre-operative phone call with the nurses, they will tell you if you are allowed to have any clear liquids (water, apple juice, black coffee) up to 4 hours prior to surgery. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the delay or cancellation of your surgery due to the risk of anesthesia complications.
Day Of Surgery
Things to Bring to the Hospital
- A photo ID
- Your insurance card (if you have one)
- Crutches if you have them (for lower body surgery)
- Your knee brace only if you have been specifically told to bring it
- If you have sleep apnea, bring your CPAP machine
- Dress comfortably on the date of surgery. Wear loose fitting clothing that will be able to get into after surgery. This includes sweatpants or shorts for knee surgery and a button-down/zip-up shirt for shoulder surgery.
Things to Leave at Home
- Large amounts of money and all other valuables
- Jewelry is not allowed in the OR, including all body piercings and wedding rings
- Contact lenses are not allowed in the OR; wear your classes or bring your contact lenses case
- Cell phones or other personal electronic devices are not allowed in the OR; they will be stored at your own risk.
