BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED PROCEDURE
You will be interviewed prior to your procedure to gather information for the anesthesia care team. Often, the interview is conducted over the phone. In certain cases, a visit to the hospital, prior to your procedure, may be necessary.
You will need to provide the interviewer with the following information:
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A detailed list of all of your medical conditions
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Any allergies that you have
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All medications that you are taking-including herbals, non-prescription medications and dietary supplements-along with the dosages.
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Any workup or studies that you have had related to the heart or lungs. These studies should be available for the anesthesia provider to review.
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Any recent lab work
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A history of all prior anesthetics along with any unfavorable reactions, including nausea and/or vomiting
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If you or any one in your family has ever been diagnosed with or suspected of having either malignant hyperthermia or pseudocholinesterase deficiency during an anesthetic. These are rare, hereditary diseases that can be avoided if a patient is at risk.
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Information concerning loose teeth, false teeth, bridges or implants. This will be important if you will have an airway device placed during your procedure.
Importance of following your pre-operative instructions:
- You MUST follow the pre-operative fasting instructions. You will be given specific instructions as to when to stop eating and drinking prior to your procedure. This includes chewing gum and candy. The stomach should be empty to avoid the risk of lung aspiration (stomach contents entering the lungs) once anesthesia is given. If you do not follow these instructions, the procedure can be delayed and even canceled.
- Make sure to follow instructions regarding your medications. There may be some medications that will be stopped or withheld for a certain period of time before your procedure, while others will be continued. You may be advised to take certain medications on schedule the morning of your procedure with a small sip of water.
- If you use a CPAP machine due to obstructive sleep apnea, you will be advised to bring your machine with you to the hospital.
If you are a smoker:
Your procedure represents a golden opportunity to quit smoking. There is evidence that smokers who quit before or at the time of surgery experience fewer symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and are more likely to succeed in their attempt to stop smoking long term. Although it may take 3 - 6 weeks for the lungs to recover from some of the effects of smoking, and certain lung symptoms may get worse in the short term, there is still, on balance, benefit to you if you stop.
Please check out the following website for more information regarding quitting smoking prior to your procedure:
