Undergo a Surgery
How to Undergo a Surgery
Callista Zaronias
Undergoing a surgery can be intimidating, especially when you don’t know what will happen before, during, and after surgery. Here is a guide on what to expect when preparing for surgery:
Consideration of Surgery
Before any surgery, your surgeon will meet with you to discuss your diagnosis and treatment options. Together, you will decide on the best option for you. Remember that this is your health so it is
important to communicate your questions and concerns with your surgeon.
If you decide to have surgery, you will see your surgeon again for a pre-operative visit. During this visit, they will review your medical history, surgical history, medications, and allergies. It is important to tell your surgeon about any medicines you take, including prescription, over-the-counter, and supplements. Then, the surgeon will perform a physical examination and ask you to sign a consent form. Your surgeon will explain what to expect during your surgery and if you need to do anything in preparation, like blood work or imaging.
Preparation for Surgery
- If you smoke, it is important that you stop smoking before your surgery.
- Do not eat or drink after midnight on the day of your surgery. This will make anesthesia safer.
- Please wash and shave the area to be operated on.
- Do not wear makeup, contact lenses, or jewelry.
- Leave all valuable items at home.
- Wear loose-fitting clothing.
- Bring your photo identification, Social Security number, insurance information, and your Medicare or Medicaid card, if you have one (1).
- Let the medical staff know if you wear dentures or other prosthetic devices.
Day of Surgery
On the day of surgery, you will meet with the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and nurse. You will go to the operating room on a bed. When you enter the operating room, you will see the operating table, machines used to monitor your heart and lungs during the surgery, and a table of clean surgical instruments (1). People in the operating room include the anesthesiologist, surgeon, nurses, and an operating room technician. They will attach monitors to you to watch your heart during surgery, and then the anesthesiologist will give you an oxygen mask to breathe into and inject the medicines that will put you to sleep.
When the surgery is complete, you may feel groggy, nauseous, thirsty, constipated, and your throat may hurt from the tube that was placed to help you breathe during surgery (2).
Recovery from Surgery
Recovery is different for every surgery. Usually, you will receive pain medication and breathing exercises to help your lungs (2). Most patients are able to go home the same day as their surgery, though some may need to stay in the hospital for monitoring. One to two weeks after your surgery, you will have an appointment with your surgeon to check your progress.
If you have any questions or concerns about your surgery, please ask your doctor. It is for your own health.
We would like to thank and give credit for providing both images to Kailey Zaronias
References:
- https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-treatments/g/general-surgery/what-to-expect/day-of-surgery.html
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/after-surgery-discomforts-and-complications#:~:text=Typical%20discomforts%20may%20include%3A,minor%20pain%20around%20IV%20sites
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_MSDvLRFuA
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t60TO5st2VA
Callista Zaronias is from Boulder, Colorado and is currently a third-year medical student at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. She is part of the university’s “Latin Health Pathway.” Callista’s Puerto Rican heritage and her experience helping her grandparents with their health care have inspired her to develop her medical Spanish vocabulary to support Spanish-speaking patients.