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Pre-Operative Instructions

Before your surgery, you will receive a phone call from William Beaumont Hospital regarding preoperative instructions.  Listen very carefully and take notes; you would be surprised how much you can forget when you are a little anxious!  I know that it is difficult to address (or remember) everything, so here are a few items that will make your surgery go as smoothly as possible.

  1. 1. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight prior to your surgery. This includes water and coffee.  This is important because when you are sleepy in the operating room, things from your stomach can work their way up and back “down the wrong way” into your lungs.  This is called “aspiration” (and no, not the good kind!).  If you think you might forget, post a note to yourself in the kitchen or on the faucets.  You might even go as far as taping the refrigerator shut!  Unfortunately, if you eat or drink after midnight, your surgery will have to be postponed.

  2. 2.Make sure that your primary care physician and any other necessary physicians have completed your pre-operative medical evaluation.  We want to make sure that you are as healthy as possible for your surgery.

  3. 3.If you will be having your surgery at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, you will want to go to the South Entrance and sign in at Suite 100.  If you will be having your surgery at the Ambulatory Surgery Suite at Beaumont in West Bloomfield, use the main entrance and follow the signs to the surgical suite.

  4. 4.You will be called the night before surgery and told what time to arrive. Usually you are asked to arrive approximately 2 hours prior to your surgery time. This will allow time to get everything in order.  Please allow enough time for traffic and bad weather (it is Michigan, after all!); if you arrive late, your surgery might have to be rescheduled for later in the day or another day.

  5. 5.You MUST arrange for someone to drive you home.  Every patient is given at least some kind of narcotic or sedative (sleepy medicine) before, during, and/or after the operation.  It is unsafe for you to drive or take public transportation.  If you arrive without arrangements for a ride home, your surgery will have to be rescheduled.

  6. 6.If we talked about you starting hand therapy within a few days of your surgery, make sure you call them BEFORE your surgery to set up an appointment; insurances sometimes take several days to process authorization for therapy, so the sooner you arrange it, the better.

  7. 7.Hopefully, I have answered all of your questions in the office when we discussed the nature of your problem, your options, the surgical procedure we are planning, and the risks of surgery.  We will see each other in the pre-operative holding area just prior to surgery, and I can answer any of your last minute questions then.  I know that having surgery can be very scary; I have been there myself.  We will address whatever concerns you might have.

  8. 8.You will receive printed post-operative instructions; there are general post-operative instructions on this site as well.  Please read them before your surgery date so that you can learn about your recovery and pain control following surgery.  Also, take a look at the hints on living one-handed to see how you can prepare yourself, your family, and your home for your recovery period.