Preparing for Surgery

Once you and your doctor decide that surgery will help you, you will need to learn what to expect from the surgery and create a treatment plan for the best results afterward. Preparing mentally and physically for surgery is an important step toward a successful result. Understanding the process and your role in it will help you recover more quickly and have fewer problems.

Working with Your Doctor

Before surgery, your doctor will perform a complete physical examination to make sure you don’t have any conditions that could interfere with the surgery or the outcomes. Routine tests, such as blood tests, EKG, and X-rays, are usually performed a week before any major surgery.

• Discuss any medications you are taking with your doctor and your family physician to see which ones you should stop taking before surgery
• If you are taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory medications, warfarin, or any drugs that increase the risk of bleeding you will need to stop taking them one week before surgery to minimize bleeding
• If you smoke, you should stop to reduce your surgery risks and improve your recovery
• Eat a well-balanced diet, supplemented by a daily multivitamin with iron
• Report any infections to your surgeon. Surgery cannot be performed until all infections have cleared up
• Arrange for someone to help out with everyday tasks like cooking, shopping and laundry
• Put items that you use often within easy reach before surgery so you won’t have to reach and bend as often