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Pre-Surgical Checklist

Here are a few items that will make your surgery go as smoothly as possible.

1. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight prior to your surgery. This includes water, coffee, etc. The purpose of this is to make sure that you have an empty stomach when you have your surgery. Anesthesia relaxes the muscles that keep your stomach acids in your stomach. If you eat or drink anything, it can get out of your stomach and into your lungs. If you think you might forget, post a note to yourself in the kitchen or wherever you will see it and remember. For your safety, surgery will be cancelled if you eat or drink anything after midnight prior to your surgery. You will be charged $250 if your surgery is cancelled because you did not follow directions, so please read and follow this carefully.
2. Please wash your hand and the surgical site, as instructed here.
3. Please write the name of your surgery or the words "THIS SIDE", in ball-point pen, on the finger or hand that needs the surgery. This is to make sure we operate on the correct arm. This is very important. Please read this.
4. If you will be having your surgery at Marin General Hospital (not the out-patient facility, Marin Surgery Center, also located in Marin General Hospital), your Pre-Admitting appointment is: Date ____________ Time ___________ (we will fill these in at the office, at the time we schedule your surgery). Enter the hospital through the main entrance and sign in at the information desk. This is when you give them your insurance information, have labs drawn, and speak to the anesthesiologist, if one is available. Otherwise, they will call you. If you need to change your appointment, please call Pre-Admitting at: 415-925-7936. If you will be having your surgery at the Marin Surgery Center, these interviews are done over the telephone.
5. Please keep your appointment for your Pre-Operative History and Physical. Your surgery may be cancelled if your History and Physical are not done in time to be typed and faxed to the hospital. [Marin General Hospital Fax 925- 7934; Marin Surgery Center Fax 925-7959]
6. Please arrive 2 hours prior to your surgery time. This will allow time to get everything in order. Enter at the Registration Desk for Outpatient Surgery.
7. You cannot drive yourself or take public transportation home (hospital regulation). Arrange for someone to drive you home. If you do not make arrangements, your surgery may be cancelled.
8. If I instructed you to call Hand Therapy of Marin and gave you a prescription for hand therapy, be sure you call them PRIOR TO SURGERY so that they can get you on their schedule. Their phone number is on the prescription: 927 2007.
9. Please inform us if you are taking Coumadin or any other blood thinners, or if you have any particular problems with easy bruising or bleeding.
10. Hopefully I have answered all of your questions here in the office as we discussed the nature of your problem, your options, the nature of the surgical procedure we are planning, and the risks of surgery. I will also give you a printed copy in the hospital after surgery. I usually will have time to talk to you again in the hospital, just prior to surgery. If you have any questions about your surgery that you forgot to ask me, please write them down and ask me when I talk to you. I want to answer all of your questions and address all of your concerns. This is a team effort, by both of us.
11. The instructions for after surgery are posted here. Please read them, as it is important for your recovery and pain control. Please be sure to have the medications listed on hand, especially the Tylenol (acetamenophen). I will give you a printed copy of this protocol in the hospital.
12. Patients are very interested in how painful the surgery and the recovery will be. I agree that this is important, and have a whole page devoted to this.

 

 

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