Make this an ideal surgical
experience for you, the patient.
Incorporate innovative pain
medications to improve your postoperative pain control while decreasing
your narcotic needs.
Prevent potential surgical and
anesthesia complications.
Reduce the amount of time you’re
in the hospital, aiming for a discharge from the hospital after two to
three days.
Decrease your likelihood of having
to return to the hospital after discharge.
Prior to Surgery
Your surgeon will meet with you to
explain surgical plans and set your expectations for surgery.
Contact your surgeon via MyChart or call the surgical clinic with
questions: 214-645-2353.
We will call you to provide
instructions for surgery and medications prior to surgery. You might also
be scheduled for an appointment in our pre-surgical testing clinic to meet
with our anesthesia team or have blood drawn.
We might request testing from your other physicians.
Call our pre-surgical testing clinic with any
questions: 214-633-4202.
Lifestyle modifications:
We encourage you to stop smoking and consuming alcohol
for one month prior to surgery.
We encourage you to increase your physical activity
prior to surgery.
Eat a balanced, healthy diet high in protein, and
remain hydrated.
On the night before surgery, do
not eat solid foods after 11 p.m.
Follow instructions from your
surgeon regarding skin preparation.
You can drink clear liquids (such
as water, Gatorade, or Sprite) up to two hours before your surgery start
time.
Drink either a bottle of water or a
12-oz. Gatorade on the way to the hospital, at least two hours before your
surgery start time.
In the pre-op area, you will
receive oral non-narcotic pain medications (gabapentin, celecoxib, and
acetaminophen) to improve your postoperative pain.
During Surgery
You will receive general
anesthesia and be completely asleep during the procedure.
Your anesthesia team will monitor
you very closely while you are asleep and will insert additional intravenous
(IV) lines or monitors if necessary.
You will receive multiple
medications during surgery to treat pain and nausea.
There will be a specific and
tailored anesthetic protocol to decrease the stress on your body, improve pain
control, and accelerate your recovery.
A nerve block might be performed
during the procedure. This is designed to decrease your postoperative pain
and need for IV and oral pain medications.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and After
You will wake up in our intensive
care unit (ICU) for close monitoring of your flap.
You will be asked to chew gum and ice
chips and to drink clear liquids to help with recovery of bowel function.
You will be given an incentive spirometer
to remind you to take deep breaths.
Starting on the day after your
surgery, we encourage you to get out of bed and walk with help from your
nurse.
Try to increase the distance and frequency of your walks
each day; doing so will help your bowel function return to normal,
prevent deconditioning, and speed up your recovery.
Unless instructed otherwise by
your nurse or surgeon, you will be able to eat a normal diet the day after
your surgery. Continue to chew gum or hard candy as well.
You will take scheduled non-opioid
pain medications during your recovery and have narcotic medications
available for breakthrough pain if necessary.
A Team Approach to Recovery
Jennifer
Elia, M.D., explains why a team approach leads to better recovery.