Before Surgery
Weeks Before Surgery
If Dr Werner-Gibbings recommends surgery as the best treatment in your circumstances, you will be provided with information explaining the surgery and any relevant risks so you can give your informed consent if you wish to proceed.
Depending on the nature of the surgery and your health status, the anaesthetic doctors will see you before surgery to ensure that you are fit and healthy enough to proceed with the operation.
If appropriate a pre-surgery Geriatric medicine review may be employed to ensure that all your health and social needs will be handled before and after the surgery.
It is beneficial to lose weight, exercise and eat well before surgery.
It is imperative that you cease smoking before surgery. This will make the surgery safer and will also ensure that any procedure undertaken is more durable.
Certain elective arterial surgeries may be postponed if you continue to smoke prior your operation.
Days Before Surgery
Simple measures performed prior to your operation can make your recovery far more effective and rapid.
Prepare the house for your return and make sure you have all the medications, food and toiletries you may need.
Pack a bag for you stay in hospital with all that you may require for a few nights away.
Let your family know when and where you are having surgery and what you are having done.
Arrange to have someone to pick you up on discharge.
Ensure that you have ceased any medications as instructed by your GP, anaesthetist or Dr Werner-Gibbings.
Day of Surgery
Sleep well the night before, ensure that you have taken no drugs or alcohol.
Unless you have been expressly advised otherwise make sure you have nothing to eat or drink from midnight the night before.
Take all your required medications with a sip of water.
Unfortunately a public hospital is a busy place and often emergencies can occur and these can affect surgical timetables. As such you may be required to wait longer for your surgery then expected and unfortunately your procedure may be cancelled if such an emergency occurs. If this is the case we will work with you to get you promptly back for surgery at a time that is convenient time for you.