[Hand Surgical Associates] - The Day of Surgery

Surgery Info

Please review the entire subject at least 4 weeks prior to surgery.

preoperative instructions
the day of surgery
post operative instructions
cast care instructions

The Day of Surgery

You may eat solid foods until midnight on the night before your surgery. You should not have anything to eat or drink after midnight. No alcohol is allowed. You will be able to take many of your regular medications on the morning of surgery but please check with prescreening office at the hospital where your surgery will be preformed.

Ambulatory surgery patients (People who will be going home after surgery) must make arrangements for someone (family member or friend) to pick you up after surgery. You will not be allowed to drive home if you have had any sedation, which includes all anesthesia except local anesthesia. At the NEBH you are not allowed to take a taxi home. Your surgery may need to be postponed if you do not have a ride. Please notify the office if this poses a problem.

On the day of surgery please leave jewelry and other valuables at home. On the day of surgery please bring your insurance information. Please do not wear lipstick, make-up or nail polish on either index finger. Glasses, dentures and hearing aides may be removed until after your procedure.

You will need to arrive approximately two hours prior to your scheduled surgical time. Bring a book or "walkman" to help the time pass. Occasionally there are delays beyond our control. Your scheduled surgical time is an estimate. Please be patient should delays occur. You will meet with the nursing staff in the ambulatory surgery center, the anesthesia team, your operating room nursing staff and your Hand Surgical Associates surgeon. You will confirm with the staff the correct side and the procedure to be done. Someone from the anesthesia team will start an intravenous line and discuss the type of anesthesia that is best for you and your procedure. This will depend on the time needed and type of procedure to be performed as well as your preferences. This can vary and includes local anesthesia, local anesthesia with sedation, regional anesthesia (arm numb plus sedation) and general anesthesia.

After surgery you will go to the recovery room if you had general anesthesia or are still sedated at the end of the procedure for an hour or two. If not or after the recovery room you will return to the Ambulatory surgery center. Your surgeon will contact the person you (think ahead) have selected. The nurses will make you comfortable, review the procedure and postoperative instructions with you and your family or friends. You will be given some liquid and food as tolerated and be discharged home when you are ready. If you haven't already scheduled a postoperative appointment, one will be scheduled or you can call as soon as you can from home. This can vary from being seen the next day or up to two weeks depending on the procedure and your needs.

If you require admission to the hospital for pain control or observation you will be transferred to your room where your family and friends can meet you.

Suggestions to Make Recovery Easier

Here are some tips suggested to make your life easier after surgery or if in a cast. Preparation can make things easier.

Cooking and Eating

Plastic plates and paper cups
Coffee mugs with large handles that allow a full hand grip
Stock the freezer with frozen dinners and things that are easy to open and pop into the microwave
Have a few loaves of bread on hand
Buy milk and things in smaller easy-to-handle sizes
Prune juice or other mild laxatives (i.e. Senecot) or stool softeners (i.e. Colace) can be helpful since constipation is common after surgery especially with narcotic medications

Dressing

When possible avoid buttons, zippers, belts, and shoelaces
Large T-shirts, baggy shorts or sweatpants and non-skid flip-flops or Velcro close sport shoes
Panty hose - difficult to pull up, so plan on not wearing for a while
Bras - try a Velcro closure or spandex

Showering/Bathing

Use plastic cover for dressing/cast, big plastic storage baggies (from newspaper, bread etc) with large rubber band (#32, from office supply store)
Commercially available water-tight protectors are available from surgical supply stores (check availability prior to surgery), or mail order (Medcare 1-888-379-2278 approximately $25 including delivery). These come in sizes adult hand, adult short arm (below elbow) and long arm (above elbow). These may be best ordered after the first dressing is changed so they are easier to use. Use the plastic baggies immediately after surgery.
Long handle back brush
Soap - large bar, soap on a rope, or liquid soap
Consider non-slip strips on floor
Battery toothbrush especially if it is your dominant hand
Have toilet paper in a convenient location

Bills

Consider filling out checks prior to surgery
Use typewriter or word processor (easier if dominant hand involved)
Stamps in sheets or rolls
Rubber stamps for return address and deposit
IRS - sign tax return if appropriate

Miscellaneous

Mail, newspapers
Pets - arrange for care if needed and feeding
Housecleaning
Laundry
Cash
Paper towels, Toilet paper, Kleenex
Haircut
Fingernails, toenails
Reading material, videos
Give yourself extra time to do things

The Day Prior to Surgery

On the working day prior to surgery please call our office to confirm the time of your surgery and make sure there are no changes. We do our best to keep changes to a minimum but emergencies and illness do occur. Remove all jewelry from both hands and ears, as well as nail polish. Remember if you are having anything more than local anesthesia someone must drive you home, a taxi is not acceptable.

Postoperative Pain Control (see Analgesia)

You will have pain after surgery and that must be expected. Pain varies and depends upon the individual patient as well as the surgical procedure performed. Pain medication should be used as needed and specific instructions will be provided. Narcotic prescriptions may be given to you prior to surgery. They must be filled within a week of the day written, otherwise the pharmacy will not fill them. However, you must not use or lose them prior to surgery and it is your responsibility. Filling the prescription prior to surgery will eliminate stopping and delays on the way home from surgery. Usually they are given at the time of surgery and can be filled on the way home. Remember to ask for NON childproof caps if there is no one to open them for you. However, they must be kept in a safe place away from children. If you have specific preferences or problems, please inform us.