Surgery Checklist

Surgery is around the corner! Let’s get ready!! 

2 WEEKS BEFORE SURGERY

MEDICATIONS/SUPPLEMENTS:

Stop medications that thin your blood starting 2 weeks before surgery. If you have questions, make sure you contact our office. Common examples include Ibuprofen, Advil, aspirin, fish oil, and almost any herbal supplement. Vitamins are OK, but it is easier to go without until after surgery!! You can resume ibuprofen to help with pain management the morning after surgery. 

Stop oral hormone supplements, oral contraception, or Tamoxifen 2 weeks prior to surgery to reduce risk of blood clots.

DON’T GET SICK: 

It is easier than ever to get sick these days. We want you to have a great surgery experience, so now is the time to be a bit more careful with avoiding crowds and kissing grandchildren. Wear a mask in indoor public spaces and wash your hands! 

PRESCRIPTIONS

We will electronically send your prescriptions to the pharmacy of your choice about one week before surgery. 

We will prescribe a small amount of Norco or Percocet (narcotics), Valium (a muscle relaxant), and if you request additional nausea medication, Zofran (an anti-nausea).  None of these medications are mandatory. You should only take them if you need additional comfort beyond over the counter Tylenol or Ibuprofen. All medications are taken as needed only, as directed on the bottle. Do not take the Narcotic and Valium at the same time. Alternate with ibuprofen after surgery to help manage pain and decrease the use of narcotics.

THE NIGHT BEFORE

NOTHING TO EAT OR DRINK the day of surgery starting at midnight the night before. This is very important – not even water or coffee. You may brush your teeth or take any morning medications with sips of water. Because your surgery start time can change, please carefully follow this rule to prevent devastating complications of a full stomach during surgery. If you eat or drink, we will be forced to cancel your surgery.

HIBICLENS SOAP: Use Hibiclens to wash your body starting 2 days before surgery. This can be found at any pharmacy. If you are having facial surgery, do not use Hibiclens, simply use your regular soap and carefully wash and dry your hair the morning of surgery.

NO MAKEUP OR FALSE EYELASHES. Your eyes need extra protection during surgery, so anything which can create trauma to your eye, like make up or artificial lashes, should be carefully removed. Take a shower either the night before or morning of surgery. No lotion on your skin after the shower with the Hibiclens the morning of surgery. If you can’t locate Hibiclens, antibiotic soap will be an OK substitute.

DAY OF SURGERY

WEAR loose comfortable clothing that is easy to get in and out of and a soft hair band. If you are having revision surgery, bring your old garments or bra. Bring comfy socks to keep your feet warm in the operating room. Please leave your jewelry at home. 

YOUR RIDE

Your ride will be allowed into the surgical center while you wait. We prefer that they leave once Dr. Keen comes in to mark you before surgery so we do not fall behind on our schedule. Your ride needs to make sure they leave a contact number and be available for text messages and calls from the surgery center during and after your surgery. 

Your ride needs to be available to pick you up at any time – sometimes we run ahead of schedule so your estimated time for pick up can change. We will call your ride when you get to the recovery room. We try to give all our patients the amount of time they will need in terms of notification. Because surgery times and recovery times vary, your ride will need to be flexible and ready for changes in the schedule. 

If the person giving you a ride home is different than the one who will be staying with you/taking care of you after surgery, please give us the phone numbers for each one, so our recovery nurse can contact your caretaker with instructions as well.

CHECK IN TIME

This is an approximate time. This time can change up to and including the day of surgery, so be prepared to be available anytime on the day you are scheduled. Both you and the person taking you to the surgery center, need to keep your phones with you the day before and the day of surgery to receive scheduling updates. Please verify if there have been any changes to the contact information you gave our office.

ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please make sure that after surgery you are getting out of bed and moving frequently. Flex your leg muscles/ shift around in bed – the more you move, the lower your risk for blood clots. If you have any trouble breathing, or chest or leg pain or swelling this could be a sign of a blood clot. You must go to the nearest emergency room to have this evaluated so blood thinning treatment can be initiated as soon as possible.

Let us know if you have any questions! We will be with your every step of the way 🙂