Preparing for Surgery or Proceedure

Preparing for Surgery

Once you and Dr Hsu or Dr Singh have decided that surgery will help you, we will educate you on what to expect from the surgery and create a treatment plan for the best results afterwards. Remember our Practice Nurses will visit you each day after your surgery and are available 24 hours a day if you need them. We will also provide you with post operative booklets for you to take home and refer to as needed. Preparing mentally and physically for surgery is an important step toward a successful result. Understanding the process and your role in it will help you recover more quickly and have fewer problems.

Working with Dr Hsu and Dr Singh prior to your spinal surgery

Before surgery, your doctor will order routine tests, such as blood tests and X-rays, which are usually performed two weeks before surgery.

• Discuss any medications you are taking with your doctor and your GP to see which ones you should stop taking before surgery
• If you are overweight, losing weight before surgery will help decrease the stress you place on your joints. However, you should not diet during the month before your surgery
• If you are taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory medications, warfarin or any other drugs that increase the risk of bleeding you will need to stop taking them one week before surgery. We will ask you to advise what medications you are taking so that we can advise you about this.
• If you smoke, you will need to stop to reduce your surgery risks and improve your recovery
• You should have any tooth, gum, bladder or bowel problems treated before surgery to reduce the risk of infection later
• Eat a well-balanced diet
• Report any infections or illness to your surgeon. Surgery cannot be performed until all infections have cleared up
• Arrange for someone to help out with everyday tasks like cooking, shopping and laundry
• Put items that you use often within easy reach before surgery so you won’t have to reach and bend as often
• Remove all loose carpets and tape down electrical cords to avoid falls
• Make sure you have a stable chair with a firm seat cushion, a firm back and two arms

Preparing for A Procedure

• Have someone available to take you home
• Be prepared to take it easy for a few days following an injection
• Only eat when you feel hungry, begin with a light meal and try to avoid greasy food
• Take your pain medicine as directed. Begin the pain medicine as you start getting uncomfortable, but before you are in severe pain. If you wait to take your pain medication until the pain is severe, you will have more difficulty in controlling the pain. Remember to complete your pain chart if you are having an injection and to call day 10 to speak to the nurse.