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Preparing for Your Surgery

Step 1: Get Ready

See Your Family Doctor.

You must get a physical examination to determine your state of health at least two weeks prior to your surgery date. This will allow us to determine your state of health. If you do not have a family doctor, please make an appointment at a walk-in clinic.

Fill Out the Forms

Make sure you have completed the following forms before coming in for your surgery: 

 

Get the Required Lab Tests

You may be scheduled to have pre-operative tests such as blood work, X-rays, etc. This is often determined from information provided by your surgeon, family doctor, or your patient questionnaire. If you need lab work or tests, we will contact you by mail or phone and forward the requisition to you or to the appropriate lab.

Your tests should be completed at least one week prior to your surgery. If you receive the requisition within a week of your surgery date, please arrange to have this done as soon as possible. If no lab tests are required, you will not receive a requisition. It is vital that you complete all of the required tests before your surgery, or your procedure could be delayed or cancelled.

 

Read the Pre- and Post-Op Instructions

There are a lot of steps to get you ready for surgery and a lot of information for you to process, but it is important to your safety and helps create the best surgical result. We give you a copy of the post-op instructions now so that you can review them when you are relaxed and more likely to absorb things.

Stop Herbs & Vitamins

Vitamins and herbal remedies contain chemically active substances, and the exact amount is variable. Some of these substances will interact with the anesthetic drugs and cause complications. Others will increase the chance of bleeding during and after the surgery. This is why we ask you to stop them ten days before surgery, or tell us if you didn't.

Think about the Anesthetic

The type of anesthetic offered at Kamloops Surgical Centre will depend on the nature and location of the surgery, as well as the wishes of the patient and the judgment of the physicians. In simple terms, there are three different techniques:

  • Local anesthetic only – If the surgical procedure is simple and involves a very small area it may be possible to use only local anesthetic, similar to what a dentist injects. An anesthesiologist is not required in this circumstance.
  • Local anesthetic plus intravenous sedation – If the surgical procedure is more complex and covers a larger area local anesthetic alone won't provide enough comfort. An anesthesiologist can give intravenous sedation throughout the procedure to render the patient comfortable and free of anxiety.
  • General anesthetic – Many procedures require that the patient is completely unconscious, just as with any major surgery.

As with most things, there are advantages and disadvantages to each technique. The surgeon and anesthesiologist will discuss your options and provide the anesthetic that is best suited to you.

Patients may wish to discuss their anesthetic in advance. Please contact Kamloops Surgical Centre to arrange this.

For more information visit this website from the American Society of Anesthesiologists: Lifeline to Modern Medicine. 

 

>> Step 2: The Day Of

 


 

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