Surgical Preparation
If you and your physician decide together that surgery is the best option for you, then you will need to know how to prepare for your surgery. Our office staff will work with you to find the most mutually convenient time to schedule your surgery. This may be done either when you are in the office or over the phone. Elective surgeries will be scheduled after pre-authorization from the insurance company has been established.
You will need to have preoperative medical clearance. This is a process whereby your primary care physician (generally an internist, cardiologist, or other primary care physician) checks some blood and urine tests, an electrocardiogram (if needed), and a chest x-ray (if needed). This to ensure you are medically healthy enough to recover from surgery. For example, your blood pressure should be well-controlled, as should your blood sugar. If testing is done at your primary care doctor’s office, we will notify them of what is required. Pre-operative testing should be done at least 7-10 days prior to your surgery. Some patients may require additional testing before medical clearance is granted. For example, those with a history of heart disease may require a echocardiogram or a stress test in addition to the standard electrocardiogram.
Patients are asked to hold on to their own imaging studies after each office visit. It is important to bring the necessary films to surgery. Some imaging studies are so crucial that the surgery cannot be performed without them.
The evening before your surgery, the hospital will notify you of your time of surgery, and what time you should arrive at the hospital.
Post-op Information/Instructions
Below are some general postoperative instructions for your surgical procedure in general. “Lumbar” instructions are for any low back surgery. Cervical spine or neck surgery postoperative information is found by clicking the “Cervical Disk” link. “NeuroStim” is for patients that have undergone spinal cord stimulation and “DBS info” is for patients who have had Deep Brain Stimulation. Patients with pituitary tumors please select the “Transsphenoidal” link and other cranial procedures use the “Craniotomy” link.
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before surgery. Please check with our office or your medical doctor if you have any questions about discontinuing medications prior to surgery.
STOP ALL NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) 7 DAYS PRIOR TO SURGERY: i.e., Motrin, Advil, Ibuprofen, Aleve, Voltaren, Indocin, Naprosyn, Celebrex, Arthrotec, Mobic. ALL Blood Thinners need to be stopped 5-10 days prior to surgery. If you take any form of blood thinner (Warfarin/Coumadin) or anti-platelet drug (Plavix, Pradaxa, Xarelto, etc) please check with your prescribing doctor to see when you should stop this medication prior to surgery. Report to the main lobby of the hospital (Admissions Department) the day of your surgery at the time designated by our office. Please bring your insurance cards. If you have your films (MRI, CT, Myelogram, XRAYS), please bring them to the hospital.
Our office will call your insurance carrier to pre-authorize your surgery, and request a referral from your primary care physician (if HMO).
If you have any questions, please contact our surgical coordinator at 301-718-9611.
