Preparing for Surgery

Before Surgery

• You will receive a Pre-Op appointment date.
• At your Pre-Op you will meet with the physician.
• You may be examined again, but here you will have the opportunity to discuss what surgery you will be having and for you to ask questions.
• Risk of surgery will be discussed and a consent will be signed.
• Once you finish with the physician, you may have to get lab work, EKG, and/or meet with anesthesia at the hospital where your scheduled surgery will be performed.
• On the night before your surgery, do not eat or drink anything after midnight.
• No aspirin/ibuprofen/Advil/Motrin for 7 days before surgery. Any Tylenol product is OK.
• The OR Suite will call you the day before surgery to go over some standard pre-operative instructions and answer any questions.

On the Day Before Surgery

• Eat a regular breakfast and lunch.
• Eat only liquids for dinner.
• After midnight, only sips of water as need for your approved medications. Ask your doctor about approved medications
• If you will be having a fistula repair or sphinctoplasty, you will need to do a bowel preparation. Go to your local pharmacy and buy 2 bottles of Magnesium Citrate. Take Bottle #1 at 1 PM, and Bottle #2 at 4 PM.

On the Day of Surgery

• You will meet with your anesthesia team. Dr. Crane will also come to answer any last minute questions before you go to the operating room.

After Surgery

• If you had a vaginal or laparoscopic/robotic surgery, you can expect to go home either the same day of surgery or the day after surgery. If you had an abdominal incision, you will usually stay two nights.
• Prior to going home, you will have a voiding trial to see if you can completely empty your bladder.
• If you are discharged with a catheter, call for an appointment in 3-7 days to have another voiding trial in the office.
• If you have bleeding heavier than a normal period, or you need to change pads more frequently than one every two hours, or you become short of breath or lightheaded, please call 919-235-6509.

Your Activity will be limited for a few weeks after surgery.

• No lifting for more than 5 lbs. Avoid excessive physical exertion.
• Walking is encouraged, but minimize stair use.
• No intercourse, douching, or tampon use.
• No driving until you are off narcotic medications and can easily slam on the brakes in an emergency.

What to Expect:

• Pain medications may cause itching. You may take Benadryl to help, If you do not have relief from the itching, call your doctor.
• Pain medications will constipate you, Take Colace, milk of Magnesium and/or Metamucil.
• Try to avoid enemas.
• It is not unusual to not have a bowel movement for up to seven (7) days after surgery.
• Call if you have nausea, vomiting, distension of abdomen or severe pain and have not had a bowel movement.
• Do not be afraid to take pain medications as it is more important that you are not in severe pain after surgery, Surgery will NOT be painless.

When to Call:

• If you are uncertain about whether or not you should call.
• If your temperature is greater than 101 degrees.
• For bleeding greater than one pad every 2-3 hours.
• For nausea, vomiting, continued diarrhea.
• For severe abdominal or vaginal pain.

For any questions or concerns, please call our Urogyn nurse line at 919-235-6509. Phone lines are open between 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. You will get a call back within 24 hours. Please leave just one message. After hours, you will have the option to leave a message or have a physician paged.