Pre-Operative Instructions Before your surgery, you will be seen by the physician and the anesthesiologist, and when applicable, there is a pre-admission appointment with the hospital. Click here to read more details about these appointments, referred to as the Pre-Operative Work-Up. Change In Health Status Notify your surgeon if you experience any significant change in your health status: develop a cold, influenza, a bladder infection, diarrhea, or other infection, before your surgery. Pre-Operative Medication Instructions Unless specifically instructed otherwise by your surgeon or anesthesiologist, please observe the following guidelines for taking your medicines before surgery: One Week Prior to Surgery STOP all aspirin and all aspirin-containing medicines (e.g., Anacin, Excedrin, Pepto-Bismol). Check any cold or pain medication bottles to make certain aspirin is not contained. See additional list at Blood Thinners. Two Days Prior to Surgery STOP all nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (e.g., etodolac [Lodine], fenoprofen [Nalfon], ibuprofen [Advil, Motrin, Nuprin], ketorolac [Toradol], maproxen [Aleve], meclofenarnate [Meclomen], mefenamic acid [Ponstel], naproxen [Anaprox, Naprosyn]. Day Before Your Surgery Normally this is when you would start the pre-operative Bowel Preparation appropriate for this surgery. As this procedure is not close to the bowel and injury is extremely unlikely, there is no bowel prep required for the procedure. On the Morning of your Surgery DO NOT TAKE digitalis medicines (e.g., Crystodigin, Digoxin, Lanoxin).  DO NOT TAKE oral antidiabetes medicines (e.g., chlorpropamide [Diabinese], glyburide [DiaBeta, Glynase, Micronase], glypizide [Glucotrol], tolazamide [Tolinase], tolbutamide [Orinase].  DO TAKE one-half of your usual morning. INSULIN dose. DO NOT TAKE your morning INSULIN dose if you are driving a great distance the morning of surgery or if your surgery is scheduled for the afternoon.  DO TAKE, with a small sip of water, ALL of your other usual morning doses of regularly prescribed medicines. Use your asthma inhalers and bring them with you to the hospital. Pre-Operative Diet Instructions Unless specifically instructed otherwise by your surgeon or anesthesiologist, patients of all ages must observe the following diet restrictions before surgery: Eight hours before the Scheduled Start of your Surgery DO NOT EAT any solid foods, including juices with pulp (e.g., orange juice, nectars), lozenges, candy, chewing gum, and mints. DO NOT DRINK full liquid, such as milk, cream, and jello. You may continue to drink up to eight ounces of clear liquids until SIX hours before the scheduled start of your surgery. Clear liquids include Water, clear juices (e.g., apple, grape), black tea and black coffee. Six hours before the Scheduled Start of your Surgery DO NOT TAKE anything by mouth except for your usual medicines; follow the Preoperative medication instructions above. DO NOT TAKE anything by mouth for eight hours, except for your usual medicines, if you are pregnant, morbidly obese, or are diagnosed with diabetes, renal failure, or stomach acid reflux with heartburn. Patients undergoing operative or diagnostic procedures involving sedation are required to refrain from eating, drinking or taking anything by mouth for a stated period prior to their surgery or procedure. The reason for this is to prevent complications caused by nausea or vomiting while you are unconscious. Should you vomit while in the unconscious state, the risk exists that the vomit may enter into your lungs causing serious complications such as pneumonia. These complications may result in an extension of your hospitalization following your surgical procedure. It is for this reason patients are often instructed to have nothing by mouth after midnight the night prior to your operation unless otherwise instructed by an anesthetist. Pre-Operative Cleaning Instructions (bathing and showering instructions) Pre-operative showers are to be taken the night before and the morning of surgery just prior to your arrival. All adults are required to take a shower using either a Betadine or Hibiclens Surgical Scrub antibacterial soap. The reason is to remove as much bacteria from your skin as possible prior to your surgery. If you are allergic to these products please notify your physician or nurse. Perform your shower as follows: Generously lather your body, scrub well, and rinse. Give particular attention to the area were the incision will be made for your procedure. Following the morning shower, do not apply creams, body oils, lotions, perfumes, deodorants, makeup, lipstick, nail polish or any other cosmetic product to the skin or nails. Do not use Hibiclens on your face. You may use any other antibacterial soap for the face. Children under 5 years of age are to be given a bath using an over the counter antibacterial soap.   Circumcision Instructions    Medications That Cause Bleeding  Denotes an Adobe Acrobat PDF document.  Download Acrobat Reader