Many minor surgeries can be done in your doctor’s office or a same-day surgery center. Preparing for minor surgery may take only a few hours. Major surgery is usually done in a hospital operating room. Except in an emergency, major surgery may require days or even weeks of testing and preparation.

Before you have surgery, your surgeon will examine you to determine your general health. For this appointment, take along a surgery question form to help you understand your treatment. Your surgeon will explain why your surgery is needed, what it will involve, what its risks and expected outcome are, and how long it will take you to recover. Talk to your surgeon about any concerns you have about the surgery and whether other options are available to treat your condition. See an example of a surgery question form (What is a PDF document?).

Your surgeon or a nurse will give you a list of instructions to help you prepare for your surgery. Most surgery centers and hospitals have a before-surgery (preoperative) form and a surgery consent for you to fill out. You may also need to sign a form that identifies the correct body area for surgery. This information helps the surgical team prepare for your surgery.

After surgery, you will be taken to a recovery (postoperative) area where nurses will care for and observe you for 1 to 4 hours. Then you will either be moved to a hospital room or go home; if you go home, the recovery nurse usually gives you written instructions to follow. Your surgeon may also give you special instructions.

Before Surgery
Preoperative care
Most surgery centers and hospitals have a before-surgery (preoperative) form for you to fill out. This information helps the surgical team prepare for your surgery. They are trained to provide you with safe care during your surgery. This form usually includes questions about:

Your medical history, including other surgeries you have had, and any conditions you have (such as diabetes).
Whether you have any allergies to any substance, including latex, tape, adhesives, anesthetics, or medications. You may also be asked whether any family members have had reactions to anesthetics.
Whether you have any bleeding problems or take blood-thinning medication, such as warfarin (Coumadin), Plavix, or aspirin.
Your current health, including recent colds, flu, or fevers.
Your use of tobacco, alcohol, or illegal drugs, which may affect your reaction to anesthesia or pain medications.
Your use of prescription or nonprescription medications. Certain medications, such as St. John’s wort, may interact with anesthesia or pain medications.
Any physical restrictions you have, such as an artificial joint or limited range of motion of a limb.
Any metal implants or fragments in your body.
Whether you are or might be pregnant.
You usually complete the preoperative form 1 to 3 days before your surgery. Your surgeon may order certain tests—such as blood tests, urine tests, and blood clotting tests—to help determine your overall health. You may also be scheduled for other tests, such as X-rays or an electrocardiogram (EKG), if your surgeon feels they are needed before your surgery.

Your surgeon may include other doctors in your care, depending on your other medical conditions. For example, if you have heart problems, your surgeon will discuss your care with a cardiologist. If you have many medical problems, your primary health professional may need to do your physical exam before surgery.

If you will need blood during your surgery, you may wish to donate your own blood. This is called autologous donation. It will have to be arranged several weeks before your surgery. To qualify for autologous donation, you must not be anemic.

Many hospitals or surgery centers have a nurse who will meet with you or call you at home a few days before your surgery. This nurse makes sure all your forms and tests are complete before your scheduled surgery.

Minor surgeries that can be done in your doctor’s office or a same-day surgery center usually take less than 2 hours, and you can recover at home following the surgery. For these, usually you will need only oral pain medications after the procedure. Examples of same-day surgeries are:

Tonsillectomy.
Cataract removal.
Laparoscopy. Many laparoscopic procedures are same-day surgeries, such as to repair a hernia or remove the gallbladder.
Breast biopsy.
Dilation and curettage (D&C).
Hemorrhoid removal (hemorrhoidectomy).
Minor bone or joint procedures, such as arthroscopy or hand surgery.
For more major surgery or emergency surgery, you will probably stay in the hospital.

Before your surgery, your surgeon or nurse will remind you to do the following:

Do not eat or drink anything for a certain length of time before your surgery. The amount of time depends on your surgery, the type of anesthesia that will be used, your age, and any medications you take regularly. In most cases, you will not be able to eat or drink for 8 hours before your surgery.
Do not use aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for 1 week before your surgery.
Leave all valuables, such as money and jewelry, at home.
Bring what you will need after surgery, such as your inhaler if you have asthma or a cane if you use one. Also bring your insurance information.
Arrange for someone to take you home if you are having same-day surgery.
Shower the morning of surgery.
Remove all nail polish and body jewelry, such as piercings.
Instructions from your surgeon

Follow these instructions before your surgery.

In the preoperative area
Once you arrive for your surgery, your nurse will:

Check your name, birth date, and your signed consent for surgery. Your nurse will also check the correct body area for your surgery.
Measure your height, weight, and vital signs (temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen level).
Make sure you have not had anything to eat or drink for the length of time your surgeon told you, usually 8 hours.
Check your medical chart for any allergies you have and any medications you take.
Answer any questions you or your family members have about your surgery.
Explain to you what will happen and reassure you to remain calm.
Ask you to urinate and change into a hospital gown.
Ask you to remove any dental work, such as dentures or plates.
Ask you to remove any hearing or visual aids, such as hearing aids or contact lenses.
Give you any medications ordered by the anesthesiologist during his or her visit with you before surgery. These medications will help you relax.
Give you antibiotics, if ordered by your surgeon.
Give your family or friends instructions on how long you will be in surgery and the recovery area. The nurse will also let your family or friends know where they can wait during your surgery.
Start an intravenous (IV) line in your arm or hand, if ordered by your surgeon or anesthesiologist, for fluids and medications before, during, and after your surgery.
Your surgeon or the surgical team may also give you some information on what will happen after surgery, such as whether you will have special equipment, such as another IV, a urinary catheter, or wound drains.

During Surgery
The time you spend in surgery is known as the intraoperative period. A special surgical team helps the surgeon with your surgery. This team usually includes:

A surgical technician (scrub), who passes instruments to the surgeon. Your surgeon may also have an office assistant who regularly helps in surgery.
A registered nurse, who helps in many ways and writes the details of your surgery in your medical chart.
A nurse anesthetist or anesthesiologist, who gives you medications and monitors your vital signs.
Other medical personnel, such as an X-ray technologist, who may be needed for your surgery.
Another surgeon to help your primary surgeon, if necessary.
The surgical team is trained to provide you with safe care during your surgery. If you are having general anesthesia, a breathing tube (endotracheal tube) is placed in your windpipe or a special airway (laryngeal mask airway, or LMA) is placed in the back of your throat to help you breathe during the surgery. Your skin where the incision will be is washed with a special solution to remove bacteria. All instruments used during your surgery are sterilized to reduce your risk of infection.

After Surgery
Postoperative risks
Your surgeon and the surgical team will keep you safe during your surgery. However, surgery is never risk-free. Your surgeon will review all risks related to your surgery. The most common problems after surgery are pneumonia, bleeding, infection, clotted blood (hematoma) at the surgery site, or a reaction to the anesthesia.

In the first 48 hours after surgery, the most likely risks are bleeding or problems with your heart, lungs, or metabolism.

From 48 hours to 30 days after surgery, the most common risks are infection, blood clots, or problems with other body organs, such as a urinary tract infection.

In the recovery area
Immediately after surgery, you will be taken to a recovery area where nurses will care for and observe you. A nurse will check your vital signs and bandages and ask about your pain level. Usually you will stay in the recovery area for 1 to 4 hours, and then you will be moved to a hospital room or you will go home.

If you go home, the nurse will give you instructions on breathing and exercises to help prevent any problems. For most minor surgeries, the nurse will encourage you to be as active as possible to prevent these problems.

Pain control is an important concern after surgery. Your surgeon may inject a long-acting pain medication at the site of your surgery to decrease your pain for 6 to 12 hours after surgery.

Relief of any nausea or vomiting is also an important concern. If you will be going home the same day, you will need to drink fluids without vomiting, be upright without fainting, and urinate on your own before you will be sent home.

Postoperative instructions
In addition to any special instructions from your surgeon, your nurse will explain information to help you in your recovery. You will usually go home with a sheet of care instructions and who to contact if a problem arises. These instructions will include:

What medications you are to take and when, including medications you take regularly.
The level of activity, such as walking, climbing stairs, driving, or exercise that you can do. For most minor surgeries, you will be encouraged to be as active as possible to avoid problems.
The best way to bathe and protect your wound, such as covering the area when you shower to avoid getting it wet.
How to care for and change your surgical dressing.
What clothing to wear to avoid rubbing your incision area.
What foods to eat and how your bowel and urinary habits may be different.
The use of special equipment such as a sling or crutches.
What symptoms to look for that may be a problem. Signs of an infection, such as a fever, increased pain, or increased drainage, need to be checked by your surgeon. Mild swelling and redness around the incision area is normal after surgery.
When to have a follow-up appointment with your surgeon. Your surgeon will want to talk to you before your follow-up appointment if you:
Are unsure about your home care instructions.
Develop a symptom or problem that you do not know how to handle.
Develop an unexpected symptom or problem.
Are not able to take your prescription medications.
If you stay in the hospital after your surgery, a nurse will review these instructions and help arrange for any care you will need when you go home.

When should I call my surgeon?
If you have any symptoms that require emergency treatment, call 911 or other emergency services immediately. The symptoms to watch for include:

Signs of shock.
Moderate to severe difficulty breathing.
Severe pain.
Symptoms of pulmonary embolism.
Chest pain that is crushing or squeezing, is increasing in intensity, or occurs with any other symptoms of a heart attack.
Your recovery from surgery may be different from what your surgeon said. Other symptoms or problems may develop after your surgery even when you follow your surgeon’s instructions. This can be very frustrating.

Be sure to call your surgeon if you have an unexpected symptom or problem, including:

Nausea and vomiting. If you are unable to keep fluids down, you may become dehydrated.
Difficulty swallowing.
Pain that does not go away when you take your pain medication.
A temperature higher than 100° (37.8°).
The inability to urinate.
Loose stitches or an open surgical wound.
Red streaks or puslike drainage from your wound.
Instructions from your surgeon

Call me with any of the following symptoms: