Patient Information
Surgery is always a little nerve-wracking and Centrum Surgical Center believes in the importance of patient education to help reduce your surgery jitters. Also, an understanding you surgery as well as understanding pre- and post-surgery preparations is important for your complete recovery. Please feel free to call us at 303-290-0600 if you have any questions about the following information.
Pre-surgery
Careful attention to the following instructions will help ensure your comfort and reduce the possibility of complications:
- Do not eat of drink anything (including water) after midnight the day of your surgery
- Bathe or shower the morning of surgery to minimize the chance of infection
- Remove all make-up, nail polish and jewelry
- Wear loose and casual clothing, especially when procedures involve the extremities
- Arrange for an adult to drive you home and to stay with you for the first night following your surgery if you are scheduled for general anesthetic or sedation
- You will be contacted by phone before your surgery at Centrum Surgical Center, to get a brief medical history and answer any of you questions.
Day-of Surgery
On the day of surgery, you should arrive at the Center approximately one and one half hours before surgery to all time for admitting and pre-operative preparation. Your time of arrival may vary depending on your surgeon's wishes.
You will also be asked to sign a "Consent for Treatment" form that acknowledges your permission for the physicians and facility to care for you. If the patient is a minor, a parent or legal guardian must sign this form so make sure this person accompanies the minor to the surgery.
Post Surgery
After surgery, you will be moved to our fully equipped recovery room, where you will remain under close observation by an anesthesiologist and our recovery nurses until you are ready to go to our recovery lounge. Although the length of stay post-operatively varies according to the type of procedure and your surgeon's instructions, many patients are discharged 1-2 hours after surgery.
Your surgeon will provide post-operative instructions regarding diet, rest and medications. The Center will provide you with a written summary of these instructions.
Since it is normal to feel drowsy after receiving an anesthetic, we also recommend that you postpone the following activities for 24 hours after discharge:
- Driving and operating equipment
- Signing important papers or documents
- Making significant decisions
- Drinking alcoholic beverages or taking any drug without your physicians approval
- You will also be receiving a postoperative call from one of you discharge nurses to check your progress and answer any questions you may have.
