Preparing for Surgery
Please follow these steps carefully prior to your surgery to help ensure your procedure goes as smoothly as possible.
Contact us prior to your surgery date if:
- You are not sure what time to arrive at the center on the day of your procedure.
- You experience any changes in your health—even minor conditions such as a temperature, cough or a cold—between your most recent visit to your physician and the day of your procedure.
- You suspect that you are pregnant. Anesthesia and medication may be harmful to the developing fetus.
Note: Do not take any medications containing aspirin, vitamin E, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, herbs, or weight-loss products for at least seven (7) days prior to the procedure and the day following your procedure. If you have taken any of these, please inform your physician/surgeon as soon as possible.
After midnight the day of your surgery:
- Do not smoke.
- Do not eat or drink anything (including water, gum, mints, hard candy) unless you are directed otherwise by your surgeon. Undigested food in the stomach can cause complications and your surgery is likely to be postponed if you forget to follow these instructions.
Morning of surgery:
- Take a bath or shower and brush your teeth. This will minimize the chance of infection.
- Remove all makeup, nail polish, jewelry, and contacts. If you must wear contacts, please bring your storage case for use during surgery.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing that can accommodate a bandage, cast, or other type of dressing where the procedure is being performed. Keep in mind that our center is always kept at a cooler temperature. During surgery, you will wear a patient gown provided by the center.
What to bring with you on the day of your surgery:
- All insurance cards. It is important for us to have all the current and correct information.
- A government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license.
- A form of payment, if required.
- A copy of your Advanced Directive, if you have one. Your signature will be required on the procedure consent form in accordance with your particular procedure.
- If you have asthma or emphysema, bring inhalers with you.
- If you have sleep apnea and use a CPAP or BiPap, bring the device with you.
- If you take insulin, bring the bottle of insulin and syringes with you.
- Arrange for a responsible adult to accompany you to the center, receive discharge instructions, drive you home and stay with you for the first night following surgery.
- Limit the number of people who accompany you to the center. We suggest that adult patients be accompanied by only one person.
What not to bring to the surgery center:
- Jewelry, wigs, cash and valuables. We cannot be responsible for their safety.
Please call us.
If we have not reached you two days prior to surgery to review your medical history, pre-operative instructions and financial arrangements, please call us at 918-893-9445 and ask to speak to the pre-op nurse. If you have any other questions about getting ready for your procedure, please feel free to call us.
Day of Surgery
Please arrive at your scheduled appointment time. You will be admitted to the center and we will begin preparing you for your procedure.
You will be asked to sign a consent form for your procedure, which acknowledges your permission for the physician and facility to care for you.
After Surgery
After your procedure, you will be moved to our recovery area, where the anesthesia provider and our recovery room nurses will observe you closely until you are ready to go home. Your doctor will want to talk with a family member/friend after your surgery, so it is important for this person to remain on the premises.
The time a patient stays in the recovery room will vary depending on the procedure performed and the physician’s instructions, but typically most patients are discharged within one to two hours after their procedure.
Your surgeon will provide post-operative instructions about diet, rest, exercise, and medications. The center will provide you with a written summary of these instructions before you are discharged. We suggest that you pamper yourself for the first 24 hours following your procedure.
If you had anesthesia and/or pain medications, arrange for an adult to remain with you at home for at least 24 hours. Since it is normal to feel drowsy after receiving an anesthetic, we also recommend that you postpone these activities for 24 hours after discharge:
- Driving and operating equipment
- Signing important papers
- Making significant decisions
- Drinking alcoholic beverages
If you have any unexpected problems, please call your doctor. A nurse from the center will attempt to call you the next day or two to check your progress and discuss any questions you may have.
Visitor guidelines are determined by the surgery center’s leadership to optimize safety and focus on patient centered care.