Pre-Surgical Instructions

It is important to follow these instructions very closely:

• Eat only a light healthy meal at dinner the night before surgery,or liquids if indicated.
• Do not drink any alcoholic beverages during the day or night before surgery.
• Do not eat or drink after midnight before surgery. This includes gum, candy, and mints. *Please note: If you are having your procedure under local anesthesia only, you may eat and drink as you normally would.
• You may brush your teeth the day of surgery but avoid swallowing.
• Bathe on the morning of your surgery as you normally do.
• Please do not wear any metal items, such as jewelry or body piercings. Leave purses, money, credit cards, and other valuables at home.
• Do not wear any make-up. Bring cases to store glasses, contacts lenses or dentures during surgery.
• Please bring a copy of your current insurance card if you have not already done so at a previous appointment.
• Smokers are advised that smoking the day of surgery can interfere with the effectiveness of anesthesia and cause delayed healing after surgery. Certain surgeries are quite dangerous when performed on patients using any type of nicotine containing product due to vasconstriction (collapse) of blood vessels.

*Following any surgery that requires General Anesthesia, it is very important to have a caretaker for the first 24 hours. You must have a driver to and from the surgical center. Ideally your caretaker for the first 24 hours is in attendance at the time of your discharge to receive any last minute instructions from the recovery nurses.