Surgical Care

Preoperative Management

Preparing for surgery:

Preparations for surgery depend on your diagnosis. Your physician will discuss with you how to prepare for your surgery. However, if you will undergo general anesthesia, you may be asked to do the following:

stop drinking and eating for a certain period of time before the time of surgery
bathe or clean, and possibly shave the area to be operated on
undergo various blood tests, x-rays, electrocardiograms, or other procedures necessary for surgery
sometimes a patient may be asked to take an enema the evening before surgery, to empty the bowels. Please check with your physician.
do not wear makeup the day of surgery
do not wear nail polish
do not wear your eye contacts
leave valuables and jewelry at home
advise the medical staff of dentures or other prosthetic devices you may be wearing

Often, to make their experience more comfortable and efficient, patients are advised to bring the following:

loose-fitting clothes to wear
Social Security card number
insurance information
Medicare or Medicaid card

This page was last updated on: November 8, 2007.

For patient inquiries, call 1-800-492-5538 or click here to make an appointment.