All surgery, however simple, requires advance forecasting and planning, by the surgeons as well as the patients and even their relatives.
It is important to keep in mind that the hospitalisation itself, the rehabilitation that follows, and the initial visits to the nurse and the medical team following the operation can change your daily routine and perhaps give rise to the need for assistance, for which reason it is a good idea to plan a series of details in advance.
At the Arthroscopic Surgery Unit, we would like to offer you some guidelines with a view to making your stay more simple.
A few days before the operation
You will have a Preoperative consultation with the anaesthetists as well as with the surgeon, during which you will be able to clear up any uncertainties you may have regarding times, type of anaesthesia proposed, limitations after the operation and anything else that you may need to know about the operation and postoperative period.
As such, it is important that you arrange transport both to and from the hospital, before and after your stay. Your mobility may be reduced following surgery, so it is advisable to arrange transport adapted to the circumstances. In most cases, a large car is sufficient.
Should the doctor prescribe any kind of treatment prior to the operation, it is very important that you follow the prescription strictly. At the time of admission, remember to inform the health staff of any medicine you are taking and the dosage.
In some cases, you may be prescribed guidelines for exercises prior to the operation.
The day before the operation
The UCA will contact you to remind you of the operation, the time of admission and other important details.
Remember that it is important for you to bring comfortable clothes, slippers and, if possible, a toiletry bag with hygiene items for your stay.
Remember that should you need crutches, or any other orthopedic device for the postoperative period, you should bring them when you come to the clinic. Discuss this with the surgeon in the preoperative consultation.
The night before the operation, do not eat or drink after midnight. It is necessary to fast for at least 6 to 8 hours before surgery.
The morning of the operation
A shower with antibacterial soap is recommended on the same day as the operation, enhancing the cleanliness of the area to be operated on. This shower, among other measures, helps to reduce infection in the surgical wound.
It is advisable to wear comfortable clothes, for example, loose trousers (jogging bottoms) or even shorts, in the case of a lower limb operation. It is best if it has an elastic waist rather than buttons. If the upper limb is to be operated on, we recommend a shirt which can be opened all the way to the bottom, with a wide neck.
If you need to take any medicine on the morning of the operation, tell your anaesthetist and (s)he will tell you whether you should take it with a little water or not take it at all.
Arrange your transport to the hospital. It is located in the centre of the city and parking time is limited to an hour and a half, but there are several car parks nearby.
You must not forget to bring your admission documentation: medical insurance documentation (permits, referral slips, etc.), preoperative anaesthetic tests, X-rays, scans and/or MRI scans (unless you have given them to the doctor at a prior consultation).
It is advisable to bring a rucksack to carry everything you need, also enabling you to use crutches or any upper-limb orthotics.
During your stay, you will be able to use Wi-fi made available by the hospital to patients and relatives, so you can bring electronic devices (tablet, laptop, etc) which may make your stay more comfortable.
However, we recommend that you leave jewellery and other valuables at home if these are not necessary during your stay.
On the way to the operating theatre
During the hours before you go down to surgery, vital signs will be taken peripheral venous cannulation performed. The area to be operated on will also be shaved and primed.
The nursing staff in the hospitalisation ward are available for any need or query that you or your relatives may have.
Once everything is ready in the operating theatre, you will be moved to the Surgery Block and you will be kept in the pre-anaesthetic area where you will be received by the surgical nursing staff. Before going into surgery, laterality and the joint to be operated on will be verified.
Next, you will be moved to the operating theatre itself where the anaesthesia appropriate to the surgical procedure will be carried out, and you will be placed in the correct position for the operation.
As you can imagine, it may be quite a long time from the time you go down to surgery until your operation starts, which whoever is accompanying you should have in mind in order to estimate the duration of the whole anaesthesic and surgical procedure.