Preparing for surgery

PREPARING FOR SURGERY

  1. There should be no acute (respiratory or other) viral disease, active inflammations, acute allergic reaction, fever, etc. when coming to the operation. Please inform the surgeon about your concomitant diseases and other health related information during the pre-operative consultation. Please inform the clinic immediately of any new health concerns that arise while waiting for the surgery.
  2. For safe general anesthesia, the stomach needs to be empty. Therefore, it is not recommended to eat solid foods or drink opaque liquids (e.g. milk, juice) 6 hours before the operation. Clear liquids such as water, black coffee, tea or apple juice are allowed up to 2 hours before surgery.
  3. Please take your prescribed medication regularly until the day of surgery (unless the consulting doctor has not recommended otherwise). You can take your medication no later than 2 hours before surgery with a small sip of water.
  4. Provide a list of all prescription and over-the-counter medications, supplements, and vitamins you take and take your regular medication with you to the hospital.
  5. The use of blood thinners (including aspirin) must be stopped before surgery (usually 2-5 days depending on the medicine), as they increase the risk of bleeding. Oral medications may be replaced by injectables if necessary, your surgeon will provide the information.
  6. Smoking impairs wound healing and increases the risk of bleeding. We recommend that you stop smoking well before the operation. Do not smoke on the day of surgery.
  7. We recommend that blood tests are given 1-2 weeks before surgery to allow time for evaluation and, if necessary, to plan further tests or treatment.
  8. If you have had unpleasant experiences with previous anaesthesia (e.g. severe nausea and vomiting), tell your surgeon and anaesthetist before the operation.
  9. Driving a motor vehicle is not allowed for 24 hours after anesthesia. If necessary, ask a family member or a friend to drive you home or use taxi/public transport.
  10. Female patients of fertile age, please make sure that you are not pregnant on the day of surgery. If needed, we recommend taking a home pregnancy test before coming to the hospital.
  11. Please remove jewelry and all body piercings before surgery. We recommend leaving jewellery and valuables at home. If the jewellery cannot be removed, the operation will not be canceled, but be sure to inform your surgeon about this. Also remove removable dentures.
  12. Bring your personal hygiene products with you. We recommend bringing comfortable clothes for the ride home.
  13. Take a shower on the morning of your surgery
  14. On the day of surgery, do not use make-up, perfume or lotions.
  15. Secure loose hair with a hair tie.
  1. Remove your glasses and contact lenses before entering the operating room.
  2. If you use a CPAP mask for sleep apnoea, take it with you to the hospital.