Surgical Services
Ambulatory Surgery Guide
Preparing for Your Surgery
Please follow these instructions exactly unless your doctor specifically
instructs you to do otherwise.
- Eating and drinking
Adults and children over the age of 6 must not eat or drink anything,
not even water, after midnight. This includes gum, cough drops,
breath mints and other small items that might not seem significant.
This fasting is important because it reduces the risk of complications
during the procedure. Infants up to 9 months old may have breast
milk only (not formula) until 4 hours before surgery, and children
from 9 months to 6 years old may have clear liquids until 4 hours
before surgery, as recommended by the American Society for Pediatric
Anesthesia.
- Alcohol
Do not drink alcoholic beverages for 24 hours before your surgery.
- Medications and supplements
Coumadin, aspirin, and anti-inflammatory medications (such as
Advil and Motrin) can all cause bleeding. Please check with your
surgeon to see if you should stop taking these medications before
your surgery. Please check with your doctor to see if you should
stop taking herbal medications and supplements and, if so, for
how long before your surgery.
- The ride home
Please arrange for a responsible adult to accompany you from the
hospital; this is mandatory and is for your safety. If you receive
general anesthesia or sedation, you cannot drive for 24 hours,
nor can you operate any machinery or power tools.
Postponing surgery
Please contact your doctor if you develop a rash, fever or cold
so he or she can determine whether it is best to postpone your surgery.
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