YOUR SURGERY
We understand that having surgery is a very stressful event in a patient’s life. The anxiety and fear usually impacts people far before the solution of surgery becomes an option, and can weigh heavily upon the person’s mental and physical well-being. Typically a traumatic event initiates the feelings of worry, fear, and confusion that people experience when their body is no longer functioning as they are accustomed. We know this is one of the scarier moments in people’s’ lives, which is why we fully understand the value of patient questions and concerns. As a result, we want to be as transparent and supportive as possible, from our first point of contact, on through your operation and recovery.
The more questions you ask, the more you will come to understand about your condition and the necessary steps we are going to take together to get you back to feeling healthy and physically capable. So if you have recently injured your shoulder or knee, and believe you may need an operation to restore functionality, strength, and stability to your injured joint, please start with some of the educational materials and frequently asked questions available on this page.
Before Your Surgery
- Discontinue the use of nicotine and/or hormonal contraception for 1 month prior and at least 1 month following surgery to decrease the risk of blood clots and improve healing.
- Stop the use of aspirin and NSAIDs (Ibuprofen/Motrin/Advil, Aleve/Naprosyn, Mobic/Meloxicam) for 7-10 days prior to surgery to decrease bleeding.
- Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night prior to surgery.
- Wear clothes that are easy to put on after your surgery, and be sure to have a ride home.
- You must have someone over the age of 18 with you to take you home.
- Should you need a brace after surgery, you may need to be fit for your brace prior to surgery. East Coast Bracing and Orthotics will be reaching out to you for bracing and ice machine rental/ purchase.
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You may require medical clearance prior to surgery, typically within 3-4 weeks. If so, we will need to obtain your clearance note, labs, etc prior to surgery. Erika will provide you with the information required, if any, for your clearance. Please be sure to review your regular medications with your medical clearance provider in case you need to stop or alter any medications
- Pick up your post-operative medications from your pharmacy the day prior to surgery. Pain Management
The business day prior to surgery, you will receive a phone call from the OR nurse between the hours of 2-8 pm telling you what time to arrive and where to go for the surgery. Generally, you will arrive at least 2 hours prior to your OR time.
Day Of Surgery
The business day prior to surgery, you will receive a phone call from the OR nurse between the hours of 2-8 pm telling you what time to arrive and where to go for the surgery. Generally, you will arrive at least 2 hours prior to your OR time.
When you arrive at the hospital, you will be brought into a pre-operative holding area, and a family member or friend may accompany you while you wait. Your surgeon will talk to you and will initial the operative site. Up until this point, you will be asked to identify your surgical site multiple times; this is simply a precaution and is nothing to be concerned about. An anesthesiologist will also discuss your options for anesthesia with you. Next, you will be taken into the operating room, and your anesthesiologist will begin your anesthesia. After your operation, you will be taken to a recovery room to wait for your anesthesia to fully wear off and receive post-operative instructions.
You can choose to sleep or remain awake during the surgery. Before the surgery, you will speak with your anesthesiologist, and develop a plan that best fits your needs. Regional anesthesia is typically utilized rather than general anesthesia. Depending on your site of surgery, a block will be injected into either your back (for surgery in the leg region) or your neck (for surgery in the shoulder region), numbing your surgical site. Sedatives can also be added to the IV in your arm in order for you to sleep through the procedure. The anesthesiologist will monitor your comfort throughout the surgery.
Your pain will be controlled using a variety of different medications that is discussed in detail on the POST-OP PAIN MANAGEMENT handout. Our goal is to make you comfortable, and we will work closely with you to reach that goal.
Please remember to bring brace, crutches, or sling if previously provided by the office.
After Surgery
All surgeries are followed by at least some physical therapy. The specifics of your physical therapy plan varies, please refer to your SURGERY SPECIFIC INFORMATION handout. Specific PT plan will also be reviewed during your post-op phone call.
o The day after surgery, you will receive a phone call from the clinical staff to review important post-operative instructions.
o You will need to schedule a post-op appointment, typically within 10-14 days of surgery. Please contact the office for scheduling.
