Preoperative Preparation

You may visit your surgeon as many times as you wish, to have all of your questions answered. At your preoperative visit (which takes an hour or more), your final questions will be answered and you will confirm that you understood the procedure to be performed, that this material has been explained to you, that you have read and understood these information sheets, and that you accept the risks by signing the informed consent forms. You will be given prescriptions for surgical soap that will be used before surgery, as well as for pain pills and antibiotics, along with instructions for their use. Certain laboratory tests will also be required within two weeks of surgery. If you are over the age of 40, you will have to obtain a cardiogram at your doctor’s office or any licensed laboratory. You may have blood drawn by our office nurse during your final preoperative visit, or, if you prefer, at your family doctor’s office or other laboratory (e.g. Kaiser Hospital, etc.). Smoking constricts blood vessels and hinders normal healing - all smokers will be asked to stop smoking three months prior to surgery in an effort to maximize your body’s ability to heal the incisions following the operation.

It will be necessary to scrub the chest, abdomen, groin, flank regions, and thighs for ten minutes the evening prior to surgery and a final time the morning of surgery before leaving home. Washing the surgical site these two times with Hibiclens® soap will lower the possibility of an infection occurring after surgery.

Ordinarily, your anesthesiologist will call you the night before surgery to discuss the anesthetic care plan with you.  But if you miss the call or your anesthesiologist does not call you, do not worry as you will be able to discuss your anesthesia and have all your questions answered in the morning, at the Surgery Center, prior to your procedure.  You must make arrangements to have someone drive you to and from the Laguna Hills Surgery Center and stay with you at home for the first three or four days afterwards.    Arrangements can also be made to have a registered nurse care for you for the first night or two as well, either at your home or at the Ayers Hotel adjacent to the Surgery Center.