Pre-Operative Instructions

Prior to arriving at Physicians' Surgical Center, you will have had an appointment with your surgeon. He or she will have given you specific information regarding the risks and benefits of the planned procedure. From there, our clinic's surgery scheduler will call to schedule a date for the surgery. The surgery scheduler will also verify your health history information and go over specific pre-operative instructions on what you need to do to prepare your body for surgery.

Several business days prior to your scheduled procedure our surgery center's Patient Care Coordinator will call to give you an arrival time, to again verify current medications, health history and to discuss specific pre-operative instructions that must be followed to best prepare you for your surgery. If there have been any changes to medications or health status please indicate these on this pre-operative call. The Patient Care Coordinator will also go over what to expect on the day of surgery and during the recovery period.

General Pre-Operative Instructions

• Bring your insurance card(s) and photo identification with you.
• Do not eat or drink anything (including gum, water, etc.) after midnight prior to your surgery.
• Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothing and slip-on shoes.
• Do not wear jewelry and remove all piercings prior to coming to the surgery center.
• Leave all valuables at home.
• Children may bring a toy or blanket for comfort.
• Arrange for someone to drive you home and be with you for 24 hours after your surgery.
• If you become ill, even with a minor cold, or take any new medication prior to surgery, notify your doctor and the surgery center immediately.
• You will receive specific instructions regarding which medications to take the morning of surgery.
• Contact your physician prior to taking any aspirin or ibuprofen products.
• See our Advance Medical Directive, Patient Rights and Responsibilities and Notice of Privacy Practices forms prior to your procedure.

Reception

Our receptionist will greet you at the window when you arrive. There will be several forms that will need to be reviewed and signed for check-in. A copy of your insurance card and photo identification will be obtained. We have a warm and inviting waiting area for you and your companion to wait until you are called back to the pre-operative area.

Pre-operative Admitting

A nurse will invite you back to one of our 6 admission rooms. You will be asked to use the restroom and change into a gown and slippers. Up to two people are allowed to accompany the patient back to the pre-operative admitting area. Vital signs will be obtained as well as a thorough assessment of your medications and health history. Adults having MAC or General Anesthesia will have an IV (intravenous) line started in this area by our highly skilled nurses. For comfort, pediatric patients will receive their IV line once they are under anesthesia in the operating room. Your nurse will go over with you what to expect throughout your day at the surgery center and recovery at home. Prior to surgery you will get a chance to meet with both your anesthesia provider and surgeon.

We have a select group of anesthesiologists and CRNA's whoe provide anesthesia services at Physicians' Surgical Center.  This team provides specialized anesthetic care for the adult and pediatric patient in the ambulatory setting.  For more information about Associated Anesethsiologists, P.C. go to: www.aa-pc.com/.

Operating Room

You or your child will be assisted to the operating room by one of our nurses. The operating room is brightly lit and may be cool. The operating suite is temperature- and humidity-controlled to establish ideal conditions for medical procedures. Warmed blankets or our forced air warming units will be utilized to make you or your child as comfortable as possible. Throughout your procedure, our operating room team made up of the surgeon, nurse, anesthesia provider and surgical technologist will work to ensure the surgery proceeds promptly, accurately and safely. We take being a patient advocate very seriously.

Immediately following the procedure, the surgeon will come to update the family of the patient. The family or care giver is responsible for being in the area when the surgeon comes out to talk. This may be the only opportunity available to speak with the surgeon following surgery as he/she may have other patients they may be assisting.

Recovery

You or your child will go directly to the Acute Recovery room immediately following surgery. A nurse will be by you or your child's side until awake and able to be transferred back to the room you started in. You or your child may not remember this phase of recovery. Your vital signs, pain and nausea will be monitored closely. You will be asked to rate your pain on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the most severe pain. Your nurse will treat your pain based on your response to the pain scale. Following surgery you or your child may not be pain free, but should be at a tolerable level. Patients who have undergone a Tonsillectomy may have a sore throat along with a numb feeling that may make it feel awkward to swallow fluids. Patients who had a Septoplasty or Sinus surgery may have a burning sensation in their nose as well as some nasal drainage. This is normal and a gauze pad may be used under the nose to help absorb drainage and help with the burning sensation.

Once more awake, you or your child will be taken back to the room they started in where their care person(s) can join them. A nurse will be assigned to their care to assess vital signs, pain, nausea and drainage. Once all of the above are acceptable you or your child will be discharged to home. Discharge instructions will be discussed with the patient and care giver. You will be escorted to your vehicle by a nurse.

It is very important for you to follow the discharge orders written by your physician and explained to you by your nurse. If you have any questions after you have left The Surgery Center, you must call your physician for answers. If you have any serious complications, call 911 or go to the emergency room at the hospital of your choice immediately.

Please see our Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Instructions and Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy Instructions for more information.

Post-Operative Call

Our Patient Care Coordinator will be contacting you the first business day after your surgery as a courtesy follow-up to see how you are doing since your surgery. If you have any questions to ask regarding your recovery this is a great opportunity to get those questions answered.