Durham Regional Hospital Health Spot- Outpatient Surgery

Durham, NC- According to Medline Plus, every year more than 15 million people in the U.S. have surgery. Of those 15 million, many people are choosing outpatient surgery because of the benefits; however, there are still many things that people should do to prepare.

According to Sherry Strader, RN, Nurse Manager at Davis Ambulatory Surgical Center (DASC), Durham Regional Hospital's free-standing outpatient surgical center, "A major benefit of outpatient surgery is convenience. Outpatient surgery is less invasive, allowing patients to return home for recovery, thus reducing stress. It also tends to be more cost effective."

Strader offers tips on what to do before, the day of, and immediately after surgery.

Before surgery:

• Unless your physician tells you differently, you should not have anything to eat or drink including water, gum, or breath mints after midnight before your procedure.
• Notify your surgeon if you suspect you are pregnant. Anesthesia may be harmful to your pregnancy.
• Bathe or shower the morning or evening before the surgery.

On the day of your surgery:

• Bring prescription and non-prescription medications.
• Bring medical history, consent form and insurance information.
• Wear casual, loose-fitting clothes and cotton under garments for post operative comfort.
• Wear your glasses instead of contact lenses and bring a case for them.
• No make-up, nail polish or jewelry should be worn the day of surgery. All body piercings, including earrings must be removed.

After surgery:

• Unless instructed otherwise, do not drive for 24 hours after your procedure. Someone should remain with you during this 24-hour period. This should be a responsible person (18 years old or older).
• Do not drink alcoholic beverages 24 hours before or after surgery.
• If a C-PAP machine has been prescribed for your use, you must use your C-PAP machine for at least 24 hours after your last narcotic use. The C-PAP machine must be worn after surgery even if you do not currently wear C-PAP.

According to Strader, There are a few things that can cause a procedure to become rescheduled. One main reason would be if you ate or drank anything after midnight before your procedure. "Refraining from eating and drinking after midnight lessens the risk of nausea and vomiting and other serious consequences. Also, if you have been experiencing high fever, colds, flu or other signs of infection since your last office visit, your procedure may need to be post-poned," says Strader.

The most common surgeries performed at DASC are cataract surgery, breast biopsy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, tonsillectomy & adenoidectomy, sinus surgery, myringotomy tubes (children's ear tubes), foot & ankle surgery, shoulder/knee arthroscopy, pain management procedures and cosmetic surgery.

Outpatient surgery is also available at Durham Regional Hospital. For more information on outpatient surgery at Durham Regional Hospital or Davis Ambulatory Surgical Center, visit www.durhamregional.org.