As the exciting day of cosmetic surgery nears, there is a list of items which need to be fulfilled during this time. And this generally begins with a preoperative appointment before surgery which can range anywhere from a week to a couple of weeks.
Overview: Preoperative Appointment
At this time, a patient will be greeted by the surgeon’s nurse who may perform a number of duties included but not limited to the following:
- Taking photos at different angles of the aesthetic areas receiving enhancement or reconstruction
- Perform an EKG
- Reviewing preoperative guidelines
- Reviewing prescriptions for pain relief and antibiotics
- Reviewing postoperative guidelines
And more….
Once the patient reviews this information with their nurse, they will be provided with a packet of these instructions to review. These prepared instructions can be quite helpful to help refresh one’s memory at any given time.
Meeting With The Plastic Surgeon
When the nurse completes her portion of responsibilities of ensuring that the patient has all that he or she needs, the plastic surgeon then visits with their patient. This portion of the appointment is highly important because it gives the individual an opportunity to discuss items which the nurse pointed out earlier and review different details of the procedure.
One question the surgeon may ask once again is why a patient truly wants to have a given procedure done. This gives an individual the time they need to completely express their true desires to their plastic surgeon and solidifies the reasoning behind their aesthetic goals.
During a preoperative appointment, it is vital that the patient spends time with their plastic surgeon.
Plastic Surgery: Planning Ahead
At the preoperative appointment, a patient will receive a number of guidelines which will help them plan ahead not only before their surgery but steps they need to take following their procedure. For example, there will be a reminder for those who do smoke to stop smoking for a period of time. And this also includes following surgery, as well. Smoking can impede healing so it’s essential that this is followed.
While prescriptions are given and/or called into a patient’s pharmacy, some plastic surgeons also give their patient holistic medications such as Arnica Montana and Bromelain. Arnica Montana assists with minimizing bruising and swelling while Bromelain works as an anti-inflammatory.
This timeframe is also important to find a family member or friend to be the driver the day of surgery and the following day for the first postoperative appointment. If one is having a procedure which may impact their driving for a small stretch of time, do plan ahead for this.
A patient may also prefer to have a nurse with them. This is an excellent choice particularly because a patient must not be left alone 24 hours after surgery.
Other points on the pre-surgical checklist are the following:
- Discontinue aspirin, NSAIDs, Ibuprofen, and other medications when instructed to do so.
- Stop all herbal medications including fish oil capsules.
- Remove nail polish, acrylics, or gels on nails prior to surgery.
And more….
Before leaving the preoperative appointment, the patient concierge will make sure follow-up appointments are made for postoperative visits. These appointments are important and cannot be missed because the plastic surgeon needs to check on the patient’s progress and healing rate to ensure seamless aesthetic goals.
