One way you can help lower your risk for problems from your surgery is to talk with a member of your surgical care team before surgery about the type of care you should receive. Your care team includes your surgeon, your anesthesiologist and your nurses. Ask your doctor or nurse who you should discuss this tip sheet with and when. This tip sheet will help you know what to ask.
If I need antibiotics before surgery, when will I receive the antibiotic and for how long? Antibiotics should be given within 60 minutes before surgery and should be stopped within 24 hours in most cases. Given properly, antibiotics can greatly lower your chances of getting an infection after surgery.
If hair needs to be removed from the part of my body that is having surgery, what will you use? Your doctor or nurse should use clippers to remove hair if needed at the site of your surgery. Using a razor to remove hair before surgery can cause infections because of the risk of leaving small cuts on the skin.
What will you do to prevent blood clots? Blood clots lead to heart attacks and strokes. When you have surgery, you are at risk of getting blood clots because you do not move while under anesthesia. The more complicated your surgery, the higher your risk. Your doctor will know your risk for blood clots and the necessary steps to take that will help prevent them, such as giving you the right medicine before surgery.
If I take medicine for heart disease, should I keep taking it? Taking certain medicines together can cause problems. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking, including over-the-counter medication like aspirin and herbal remedies. Your doctor will tell you which medicines you should continue to take and which ones you should stop taking before surgery.
When it is determined that surgery is the best option, MemorialCare offers a range of surgical approaches, from traditional open surgery to minimally invasive surgery. We make your needs and patient safety the top priorities and together we make the right choice.
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