Preparing for Surgery

Preparing for surgery is critical to the safety of the procedure. Preparations may include fasting, reducing or eliminating certain medications, and more, so it’s important to understand what you need to do during the days leading up to the surgery.

Your physician or nursing staff will explain how to prepare for surgery in your particular case, but following are some basic safety rules.

• Food and Drink: Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery, including water, juice, coffee, chewing gum, mints, etc. Do not drink alcoholic beverages or take recreational drugs 48 hours prior to surgery.
• Smoking: Do not smoke immediately before or after your surgery/procedure.
• Medications: Please talk with your doctor about any medication you are currently taking such as blood pressure and/or diabetic medicine. Over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen should also be discussed. Do not take any medications after midnight the night before your surgery, unless ordered by the doctor.
• Bathing/Showering: You should bathe or shower the night before or the morning of your surgery. This minimizes the chance of infection. Do not use lotions, gels, hairspray, cologne, perfume, deodorant, or powders the day of surgery.

After your surgery has been scheduled, a registered nurse will call you to review your prior medical history for preoperative planning. Surgery schedules often change. If you have not heard from our nursing staff, please call 810-275-9152 at least one business day before your surgery to verify your arrival time.