Preparing for your surgery

You will receive a letter or phone call from your surgeon's office. You will find out the date and time of your surgery and the time you need to arrive at the hospital

You will be asked to come to the hospital one and a half to three hours before your scheduled surgery. This will give the health care team enough time to start intravenous (IV) lines for medicine, preparation and to answer any questions.

It is important to arrive on time. Your time of surgery could start earlier than expected. If you are late, your surgery may be delayed or it may need to be canceled and scheduled at a later date.

You will be given a nutritional supplement to drink the day of your surgery. You will need to drink it two hours before your scheduled surgery time. For example, if your surgery is scheduled at 7 a.m., you will need to drink the nutritional supplement at 5 a.m.

Tell your doctor if there are any changes in your health (sore throat, cold, fever, dental problem, urinating problem, diarrhea) or skin condition (rash, abrasions). You may need to schedule your surgery for a later date.