With the significant advances in surgical technology and pain management techniques, more and more minimally invasive surgical procedures are now being done on an outpatient basis. Examples of procedures that are performed in an outpatient setting include biopsies, cataract surgeries, sclerotherapy, vasectomy, hernia repairs, and minimally invasive joint replacement surgeries.
If you’re scheduled for outpatient surgery, read on to learn about what you’re supposed to anticipate prior to and during your procedure.
Preparing for Your Surgery
Your doctor will order lab tests days prior to your surgery to help detect problems that may put you at risk of complications. Some of the most common tests you will likely be required to undergo include electrocardiogram (ECG), chest X-rays, urinalysis, and white blood count.
To help make sure you’re adequately prepared, your care team will also provide you with detailed preoperative instructions, such as:
- On the day of your surgery, arrive early at the facility: arrive preferably two hours before your schedule.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing to the facility, and don’t wear any jewelry. Bring only the essentials.
- Your care team will also set your expectations pertaining to the type of anesthetic that will be used, what will transpire during the surgery, and what you will likely feel after the anesthetic wears off. If you are going to be under general or regional anesthesia, you may feel woozy after surgery, so have someone to accompany you to the hospital and to drive you home after surgery.
- Have storage cases handy for your contact lenses, dentures, glasses, etc.
- Let your care team know if you’re unable to keep your scheduled surgery appointment or if you’re feeling ill. This will enable the facility to adjust the scheduling of their other procedures.
When you enter an outpatient facility, you will observe a very different atmosphere than a hospital. The environment in an outpatient facility is calmer and more relaxed. Surgeries performed here are non-medical emergencies, so you can expect more personalized and higher-quality care.
A nurse will check you in after you complete the paperwork. Then, you will meet your surgical team– which includes the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and nurse—in the preoperative assessment area. If you are feeling nervous about the procedure, be sure to let them know. They are there to help you feel comfortable and answer any questions you may have about the surgery.
You will then prepare for the procedure by changing into a gown before proceeding into the operating room.
What to Expect During Your Surgery
The duration of your surgery will depend on the type that you are getting: it can take less than an hour to a few hours to complete. If you will be placed under general anesthesia, the nurse will monitor you until you wake up before being transferred to the recovery room. If the surgery will only be performed using local anesthesia, you will be awake for the procedure and be wheeled into the recovery room afterward.
Before you leave the facility, the nurse will make sure that your vitals are normal. They will also go over the doctor’s post-operative instructions to make sure you understand them. Pain management is very important, so you will be given pain medications before the anesthesia wears off. Follow your doctor’s instructions for postoperative care to ensure comfortable, safe, successful recovery.
Outpatient Surgery Facility in Naples, FL
At North Naples Surgery Center, we hold an AAAHC (Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care) certificate of accreditation, which demonstrates our commitment to delivering safe, exceptional-quality services to each of our patients. Our intensively trained providers and staff are dedicated to ensuring excellent treatment outcomes and unparalleled patient experience.
To learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment, call us at (239) 529-2811. We look forward to serving you!
