Patient Information
About Your Surgery
Surgery is always a little nerve-wracking and Sky Ridge Surgical Center believes in the importance of patient education to help reduce your surgery jitters. Understanding your surgery and your pre- and post-surgery care is important for your complete recovery. Please feel free to call us at 720-225-5000 if you have any questions about the following information.
Pre-surgery
Careful attention to the following instructions will help ensure your comfort and reduce the possibility of complications:
- Do not eat or drink anything (including water) after midnight the day of your surgery
- Bathe or shower the morning of surgery to minimize the chance of infection
- Remove all make-up, nail polish and jewelry
- Wear loose and casual clothing, especially when procedures involve the extremities
- If you are scheduled for general anesthetic or sedation, arrange for an adult to drive you home and to stay with you for the first night following your surgery
Sky Ridge Surgical Center staff will contact you by phone prior to your surgery to obtain a brief medical history and answer any of your questions.
Day-of Surgery
On the day of surgery, you should arrive at the Center approximately one hour before surgery to allow time for admitting and pre-operative preparation. Your time of arrival may vary depending on your surgeon's wishes.
You will also be asked to sign a "Consent to Treat and Disclose Information" form that acknowledges your permission for the physicians and facility to care for you. If the patient is a minor, a parent or legal guardian must sign this form, so make sure this person accompanies the minor to the surgery center.
We also recognize that a parent's presence can provide a great source of comfort for the pediatric patient. For this reason, we encourage you to stay with your child in the pre-operative area before surgery and in the second stage recovery lounge following surgery. We do welcome both parents of the pediatric patient to remain at the center throughout surgery.
If your child is having surgery, feel free to bring his favorite stuffed animal or security blanket for added reassurance.
Post Surgery
After surgery, you will be moved to our fully equipped recovery room, where you will remain under close observation by an anesthesiologist and our recovery nurses until you are ready to go to our recovery lounge. Although the length of stay post-operatively varies according to the type of procedure and your surgeon's instructions, many patients are discharged 1-2 hours after surgery.
Your surgeon will provide post-operative instructions regarding diet, rest and medications. The Center will provide you with a written summary of these instructions.
Since it is normal to feel drowsy after receiving an anesthetic, we recommend that you postpone the following activities for 24 hours after discharge:
- Driving and operating equipment
- Signing important papers or documents
- Making significant decisions
- Drinking alcoholic beverages or taking any drug without your physicians approval
You will also be receiving a post-operative call from one of your discharge nurses to check your progress and answer any questions you may have.
