What to Expect the Day of Surgery

Prepping for Your Orthopedic Surgery

Our goal is to make your outpatient surgery experience as comfortable and pleasant as possible. One way we can do this is to make sure you have an understanding of what’s going to happen at each stage of the process.

Before you Leave Home

• Please bring your photo ID with you and your insurance card.
• Bring any needed equipment identified by your surgeon.
• You will need a responsible support person to drive you home, stay with you the rest of that day and to be with you overnight. You cannot leave the facility in a cab or limo, unless you have another adult to escort you. The support person must be available when the patient enters the post-operative area in order for you to receive instructions.
• Patients under the age of 18 will need a parent or guardian to be present in the surgery center during the entire surgical stay.
• Wear clothing that is easy to take off and put on and that will be loose fitting in order to fit over the operative site with a bulky dressing.
• Do not wear contact lenses or jewelry including rings and all piercings.
• Please do not bring valuables with you, we are not responsible for their loss.
• No colored nail polish or gel nails

Arriving for Surgery

• Please plan on arriving at Fox Valley Orthopedics Ambulatory Surgery Center at the time provided to you by our nursing staff the night prior to surgery.
• Our surgery center is located at our Geneva, IL center at Kaneville Road. When you enter the building take the elevator located in the lobby to the second floor.

Preoperative Phase

• After you have checked-in, the receptionist will notify your nurse that you have arrived. The receptionist will escort you to our preoperative changing room where you will be given a gown, cap, and socks. A secure locker is provided for you to place your personal belongings.
• Once you have changed your clothing for procedure, you will meet your pre-op nursing team that will prepare you for procedure.
• During your preoperative phase we will tuck you into a warm bed. You will then read and sign your surgical and anesthesia consents. Next the clinical staff will interview you and ask you to initial your correct site for your procedure. At this time we will take any additional lab tests required, start your I.V. and you will have time for any remaining questions you or your family may have.
• You will be examined by an anesthesia provider who will choose the best anesthesia plan based on your medical history, physical assessment, and planned procedure.
• Your surgeon will come to speak with you, review your medical history, verify the correct surgical site with you, initial the surgical site, and answer any questions that you or your family member may have.

Before Surgery – Understanding the Operating Room

• One of the operating room (O.R.) nurses will discuss and review your clinical record. You’ll be asked many of the same questions you were asked by the admitting nurse, such as your name, allergies, medications, and where/what type of procedure you are having. This repetition is a safety check to make sure that we have the correct patient, correct procedure, and the correct site.
• Our operating rooms are kept at a cool temperature. Once you’re on the operating room table, we’ll use a special warming blanket to make sure you’re comfortable.
• Once we’ve placed you in the right position for your particular procedure, you’ll be given a pillow – if necessary – to make sure you’re comfortable.
• Monitors will be applied to measure your heart rate, respirations, blood pressure, and the amount of oxygen in your blood.
• The anesthesiologist will be with you while you’re in the O.R. Once the anesthesiologist has prepared you for the procedure, the surgeon will arrive and perform the procedure.

After Surgery

• Depending on the type of anesthesia and procedure you’re having, much of what is described above will be remembered by some patients while others may not even remember being taken into the O.R. This is normal and will vary from patient to patient depending on the type of anesthesia you receive.
• No matter what type of procedure you are having, or anesthesia you’re given, your safety and care are our first priority.
• Once the procedure is over and you’re awake, you’ll be transported to the recovery room where the nurses will take over your care.

In the Recovery Room

• Your stay in recovery depends on the nature of your procedure and how you are feeling.
• Monitors will be applied to measure your heart rate, respirations, blood pressure, the amount of oxygen in your blood and the surgical extremity.
• You may be placed on oxygen until you recover fully from the anesthesia.
• The nurse will make sure you are comfortable by keeping you warm with the warming blanket and monitoring and treating your pain with the medications ordered by your anesthesiologist or surgeon.
• Once you are aware of your surroundings, you will be offered a snack and drink.
• When you are able to tolerate oral fluids and ready to go home, the I.V. will be discontinued.

Going Home

• Anesthesia and medications will slow your reflexes. It may make you feel drowsy, and could affect your ability to remember. Therefore, your discharge instructions will be reviewed with the responsible adult accompanying you.
• We will go over all post-operative instructions including hygiene, activity, medications, comfort measures, and any medical equipment ordered by your surgeon.
• You will receive instruction for after-hours contact and given an appointment with your surgeon for a follow-up post-operative visit.
• Pain medications can be picked up at our in-house pharmacy, or will be called into the pharmacy of your choice.
• When you are ready to be discharged, you may still feel sleepy from the anesthesia. The nurse or your support person will assist you in changing into your clothes. Also, driving will be dangerous and you MUST arrange for a ride home. Your support person can pull up right in front of the entrance to drive you home.
• Arrange to have a responsible adult stay with you 24 hours after your surgery due to the anesthetic given during your surgery. If this is going to be a problem, please let us know before your procedure and we will help in any way we can.

If you have any questions about what to do following your surgery, please reach out to our team of experts for assistance by calling (630) 513-2635.