Once it has been decided that surgery is the right management for your condition,  it is really important that you arrive both physically and mentally prepared for your operation. After Mr MacLean has listed you for surgery, an anaesthetist may review you before surgery, either face-to-face or on the phone to ask you about your health and medications that you take.  At the anaesthetic review, a physical examination will be performed. Blood tests and a heart trace may also be performed.

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• Advise Mr MacLean if you are taking any of the following medication:

  • Warfarin, clopidogrel, rivaroxaban or any other anticoagulants

  • New anti-rheumatoid arthritis medication

  • Prednisolone

• If you smoke, you should stop or cut down to reduce your surgery risks and improve your recovery. Smoking can be very detrimental to bone and tissue healing.

• Have any tooth, gum, bladder or bowel problems treated before surgery to reduce the risk of infection later

• Eat a well-balanced diet

• Report any infections to Mr MacLean. Surgery cannot be performed until all infections have cleared up

• Don't be tempted to perform a lot of gardening the day or weekend before surgery! Cuts and grazes on an arm or leg can greatly increase the risk of infection and may lead to the surgery being cancelled on the day.

• Arrange for someone to help out with everyday tasks like cooking, shopping and laundry after the surgery

• Put items that you use often within easy reach before surgery so you won’t have difficulty later

• Take rings off the hand due to have surgery. Swelling in a finger with a ring on following surgery can lead to serious compromise to blood flow

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If you are having day surgery, remember the following:

• Have someone available to take you home and stay with you. You cannot drive for at least 24 hours

• Do not drink or eat anything in the car on the trip home

• The combination of anaesthesia, food, and car motion can quite often cause nausea or vomiting. After arriving home, wait until you are hungry before trying to eat. Begin with a light meal and try to avoid greasy food for the first 24 hours

• For elbow / wrist / hand surgery, keep that extremity elevated and use ice as directed. This will help decrease swelling and pain

• Paracetamol is a good baseline analgesic. Stronger medications may be required for bigger procedures. Take your pain medicine as directed. Begin the pain medicine as you start getting uncomfortable, but before you are in severe pain. If you wait to take your pain medication until the pain is severe, you will have more difficulty in controlling the pain

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If you have any questions or need any clarification about the surgery, or rehabilitation ensure that you contact Mr MacLean's offices prior to surgery. If surgery needs to be postponed, then it is important to give as much notice as possible.