Q
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Can my family be with me after surgery?
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A
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After surgery, you will be taken to a recovery area. A nurse will monitor your vitals, and make sure you are comfortable as the anesthesia begins to wear off. Once you are awake and alert, your family will be invited back to the recovery area. Some patients prefer to be alone for a while. Special arrangements are made for children having surgery.
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Q
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How long will I stay after my surgery?
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A
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The amount of post procedure recovery time varies from patient to patient. After your procedure, a nurse will monitor your vitals and make sure you are alert and stable. You will be sent home as soon as we feel it is safe to discharge you from the facility.
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Q
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What will happen if I am not well enough to go home?
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A
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Admissions to a hospital from a day surgery center are very rare. Most admissions are for very minor reasons such as nausea or pain control. If there is a medical reason to keep you overnight, you will be transported to the hospital that both you and your surgeon requests.
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Q
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May I drive home?
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A
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No. Any patient that receives anesthesia should not drive for 24 hours. Because you will be groggy from the sedation, we request that you arrange a ride home, prior to surgery.
We also recommend that patients who have received anesthesia have a responsible adult present for a few hours following surgery. Patients will not be allowed to drive, walk or take public transportation after sedation or anesthesia. Please make the appropriate arrangements.
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Q
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What if I am not feeling well at home?
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A
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If the pain feels serious, or exhibits warning symptoms, please call 911 immediately or go to the nearest ER. Otherwise call your surgeon.
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Q
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What can I eat when I get home?
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A
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Your surgeon may have specific recommendations for your postoperative diet. We generally suggest that you eat lightly after surgery. We strongly encourage you to drink plenty of fluids.
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Q
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Should I continue my medication?
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A
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Most patients should continue their usual medications after surgery. Patients who have diabetes and those patients on blood thinners may require some fine-tuning of their medications. This should be clarified with you before you leave the Center. If you have any doubts please first call your surgeon, and then the Surgery Center.
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Q
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How will my pain be managed?
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The management of your pain is of great importance to us. We will be assessing your level of pain from the time of admission until you receive our postoperative call at home. We need to inform and prepare you for each step of the process. This education will begin with our first contact. You will be repeatedly asked to rate your pain from a numerical scale called the Visual Analog Pain Scale, or for children, the Faces Pain Scale (see below). Using the results of our communication we will alter the therapy as needed in order to assure your comfort.
The management of your pain will be taken very seriously. We will often use a combination of different modalities to help make you comfortable, choosing from oral medications, intravenous medications, nerve blocks, injection of local anesthetic during the surgery, etc. and prior to the surgery, the management of your pain should be discussed with both your anesthesiologist and surgeon. Please feel free to bring up any concerns or fears you may have. Remember that information on pain management gives you the appropriate expectations and hence a smoother, more comfortable recovery.
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