SURGERY GUIDE
A Patient’s Guide for Before and After Surgery
Thank you for entrusting your orthopaedic needs to our surgeons. We hope this surgery guide is helpful in providing information for your procedure. We look forward to providing care to you before and after your surgery. Our scheduling department will contact you with the date, time, and location of your surgery. If your medical condition changes before your surgery, please call our office. The following instructions will help you better prepare for surgery. Our office will inform you if a medical clearance is necessary from your primary care physician or other specialist. If a medical clearance is required, please get it as soon as possible. If a required clearance is not obtained, we will have to reschedule your surgery.
- Please contact your insurance company to ensure all their requirements are met prior to your surgery or procedure.
- Eat healthily to build up your blood supply and start taking an over-the-counter vitamin with iron 2-3 months before surgery.
- You will require testing and labs prior to surgery. The need for testing is determined by age, sex, medical history, and procedure to be done. If you have had an EKG within the past 3 months, please take the report to the hospital when going for testing and the test may not have to be repeated. There is no preparation for pre-operative labs.
Bon Secours Surgery Center at Harbour View
757-673-5832
Mary Immaculate Hospital
757-886-6648
Mary Immaculate Ambulatory Surgery Center
757-234-6611
Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center
757-984-6000
Surgical Suites of Coastal Virginia
757-345-4140
Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center, Portsmouth
757-398-2200
- If you are going to need crutches or a walker and have them, please bring them with you to the hospital the day of surgery.
- No alcoholic beverages or tobacco products are to be consumed 24 hours before or after surgery.
- Unless otherwise directed by your surgeon, do not eat or drink anything after midnight the day before your surgery. If you do, your surgery will be cancelled.
- Wear comfortable, casual clothing and low-heeled shoes to surgery. Please do not wear any make-up or jewelry, Clear fingernail polish is okay and toes may have color.
Improve Healing And Recovery
With The Ortho Nutrition Bundle
At Hampton Roads Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine, our orthopaedic surgeons understand the crucial role that nutrition plays in the overall health and recovery of our patients after they undergo surgery. That’s why we highly recommend our patients to prepare for surgery with the Ortho Nutrition Bundle—a comprehensive four-week nutrition program designed specifically for orthopaedic surgery patients aiming for a better, faster recovery. This program is tailored to meet your unique nutritional needs as you recover from surgery and is backed by extensive research and expertise in the field.
With the Ortho Nutrition Bundle, our patients can have a better surgery and recovery experience. This supplement helps to improve surgical outcomes by boosting the body’s ability to heal, maintaining muscle, and shortening the recovery period. Our orthopaedic surgeons have witnessed firsthand this positive impact on post-surgery results, and we believe that empowering our patients with the knowledge and tools to optimize their healing is an integral part of our comprehensive care approach at HROSM.
MEDICATIONS AND SURGERY
- Please check with the doctor who prescribed your medications to see which medications you should take the morning of surgery.
- Ten days prior to surgery, stop taking all extra over-the-counter VITAMINS, HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS, and DIET PILLS.
- Patients who are on a blood thinner (Coumadin, Plavix, Lovenox, aspirin) must call the prescribing doctor to see when they should stop taking the drug before surgery. Blood thinners are usually stopped 5-7 days before surgery (under doctor’s orders only)
- NSAIDS (anti-inflammatories such as Aleve, aspirin, Motrin, Mobic, Voltaren, Feldene, Advil, etc.) can thin your blood. All NSAIDS must be stopped 5 days prior to surgery. You may take Tylenol for pain.
- Unless otherwise instructed, diabetics on insulin or oral diabetic medications should not take these medications the morning of surgery.
- Please bring your insulin to the hospital with you.
- Blood pressure and cardiac medications may be taken the morning of surgery with a small sip of water.
AFTER SURGERY
- After your surgery, you will receive discharge instructions before you leave the hospital. It is important for you and anyone assisting you to review these instructions and follow them precisely.
- You must have a responsible adult to drive you home from the hospital. Taxi transportation is not allowed. Do not drive for 24 hours following surgery, or as your surgeon directs.
- We will see you in the office approximately 7-14 days postop. Please ensure that you have an appointment scheduled for your postoperative visit.
