Day of Surgery

For your safety and comfort, you will receive some form of anesthesia - General (sleep), Regional or Local (numbing). Your referring physician or anesthesiologist at the center will discuss types of anesthesia with you.

• Surgery times are the best estimate we can give and may not be exact due to the unpredictable nature of surgical findings. We urge you to arrive at the time given during the preop interview process. Changes in the Doctor's schedule may permit you to come in earlier than planned. Please check your personnel voice mail the evening before you procedure for any arrival time changes.
• The length of your stay will depend on how long your operation takes and how long it takes you to recover from the anesthesia.
• You will enter the recovery room or phase II recovery area following your operation. There, the nursing staff and anesthesiologist will care for you prior to your discharge.
• After you are stable and prior to discharge, a nurse will give you and your responsible adult instructions regarding precautions, and follow up care.
• Remember that a responsible adult will be needed to drive you home.
• For 12-24 hours after your operation, you may feel slightly nauseated, lightheaded or dizzy. These are normal reactions and will pass with sufficient rest.
• Within 24 hours after surgery and while taking pain medication, please do not drive or operate a car or dangerous machinery, sign important papers or care for a dependent person.
• You may resume your normal diet if you are not having problems with nausea and vomiting. Avoid greasy, fried or spicy foods on the day of surgery.
• Do not drink alcoholic beverages until 48 hours after anesthesia or while taking pain medication. Be sure to take your pain medication with food to avoid stomach upset.
• If a problem arises after the surgery center closes, please call your physician's office.
• The next business day following your surgery one of our Recovery Room Nurses will call you at home to see how you are doing.
• Help us evaluate our service. Our staff is dedicated to providing you with high quality personal care. Please return the patient survey form given to you when you leave our center. If there are ways to improve our service, please let us know. Thank you.

The staff at Blue Ridge Surgery Center wishes you well in your recovery.