All questions
are general information for
frequently asked questions but are
to be disregarded if Dr. Taleghani
or his clinical staff has given
different instructions.
1.)What
is pre-op? In general, the
purpose of a preoperative evaluation
is to determine if you are healthy
enough to undergo an operation.
Most of this testing will be done
prior to the day of your scheduled
surgery, so that the results will be
available before you enter the
operating room. At a minimum, you
will have blood drawn to assess the
function of your vital organs and
status of your blood. If you have
abnormal lab values on your initial
testing, repeat levels may also be
drawn prior to surgery. You may
also have a chest x-ray or
electrocardiogram (EKG) based on
your age and past medical history.
Evidence of prior medical conditions
will show up on the preoperative
testing your surgeon performs;
however, it is ultimately your
responsibility to keep your surgeon
informed of your past problems and
treatments.
2.)What
about smoking? Tobacco Use-
Patients who smoke or use tobacco
are advised to stop several weeks
before spine surgery. Cigarettes
and other tobacco products contain
hundreds of toxins, which affect
blood’s ability to carry oxygen.
Smoking increases the risk of
surgical and anesthesia
complications. Smokers require more
supplemental oxygen during surgery
and may need assistance breathing
following surgery. Patients who
smoke also stand a greater risk for
failed fusion.
3.)What
to Expect the Day of Surgery—If
you will be traveling to the
hospital or surgery center the day
of surgery, plan to leave your home
early. Wear loose fitting clothing
that is easy to take off and put
back on. If you will be staying at
the hospital overnight, pack night
clothes, slippers, and toiletries.
Leave watches, earrings, and jewelry
at home. Do take hearing aids,
glasses, and dentures.
After hospital
admission, you will be taken to the
preoperative area. Medical staff
will review your medical history and
other reports. Your vital signs
will be checked (and rechecked) and
and IV (intravenous line) will be
started. Different drugs including
some anesthetics may be administered
through the IV. Although you may
not be awake, at the appropriate
time, you will be wheeled into the
operating room (OR). In the OR, the
anesthesiologist will put you to
sleep and monitor all vital signs
during the entire surgical
procedure.
Following
surgery, you will wake up in the
recovery area where medical staff
will continue to monitor your vital
signs. Postoperative pain will be
managed. Once stable and awake, you
will be moved to your hospital room.
4.)How is
the wound bandaged? Immediately
after surgery, your wound will
be covered with sterile bandages.
Normally the first bandage will be
removed the day after surgery.
Depending on the type of closure you
have had and you surgeon’s
preference, another bandage may be
applied. Do not be concerned if no
bandage is reapplied.
5.)How
should I care for my wound?
There is very little care that needs
to be given to your surgical wound.
The most important aspect for the
first 72-96 hours will be to keep
the wound dry and clean.
6.)
Discharge from the hospital—Patients
returning home should “pre-arrange”
for someone responsible to drive
them home and stay with them for the
first day or two. To make the ride
home more comfortable, have the
driver bring pillows and a blanket.
You may need to stop for a break to
stand up if your ride is longer than
1 hour.
7.)Your
Recovery—It takes time to
recover from surgery, so take it
slow! Expect to feel tired. Normal
activities may be restricted for
several weeks. This may include
working, lifting, and driving a
motor vehicle. Surgery not only
affects your ability to concentrate,
but medication taken for pain may
impede your ability to drive safely.
8.)When
can I drive? Not until seen at
your first postoperative visit
9.)How do
I take care of my wound at home?
When you go home from the hospital
you should have someone look at your
wound on a daily basis. It is
normal to have some fullness in your
wound after spine surgery. This is
a result of swelling or hematoma. A
hematoma is an accumulation of blood
that has occurred during and after
your wound was closed. In most
cases, your body will absorb this
fluid with no additional concern.
If you should run a temperature
greater than 101.1, the incision is
excessively red or draining, call
your surgeon’s office immediately.
10.)When can
I take a shower? In most cases
48 hours after surgery. Do not
scrub the incision site. Normally
baths are discouraged for the first
couple of weeks due to difficulty
getting in and out of the bathtub,
as well as avoiding soaking the
wound in bath water.
11.)When do I
have my staples or stitches removed?
Staples and nonabsorbable sutures
are removed 7-10 days after surgery
in the clinic. If there are no
visible sutures in your incision,
your incision has been closed with
absorbable sutures and no suture
removal is necessary.
12.)When can
I take off my brace?
a.Cervical
Braces (Neck Brace) You may take
this brace off for a short time to
bathe or shower only. Then, you may
remove this brace after you’re seen
back in clinic unless otherwise
instructed.
b.Lumbar
Brace (Low Back Brace) You may take
this brace off for a short time to
bathe or shower only. Then, you may
remove this brace after you’re seen
back in clinic unless otherwise
instructed.
c.Carpal
tunnel brace- After carpal tunnel
decompression, bandages may be
removed after 3 days. After 3 days,
the incision may be redressed with
sterile gauze and tape. The carpal
tunnel brace must be worn at all
times until the patient is seen back
in the office.
13.)When do I
need to be seen back in clinic?
If you have sutures or staples to be
removed, you will need an
appointment for 7-10 days after
suture or staple placement.
Otherwise, most surgical patients
will need to be seen 3 weeks after
surgery. If the hospital staff does
not give you this appointment upon
discharge, please call our office,
and set up this appointment.
Copyright 2007 Cumberland Brain & Spine PLLC. All rights reserved
