Preparing for Surgery
Knowing what to expect
Knowing what to expect can make surgery less daunting. Below is a general guide to how the process works, from your first pre-operative appointment through to your recovery at home.
You will also receive instructions specific to your procedure, and those always take precedence over anything on this page.
Before your surgery
Pre-operative appointment.
In most cases you will be seen before your surgery date to go over your medical history, arrange any tests you need, and talk through the procedure itself. This is the right time to ask questions, and it helps to write them down beforehand.
Medications and supplements.
Certain medications, including blood thinners, and some over-the-counter supplements need to be stopped or adjusted before an operation. Bring a complete list of everything you take, including anything you buy without a prescription, and you will be told what to do with each.
Fasting.
Your hospital will give you exact fasting times based on when your surgery is scheduled. Please follow them precisely. Eating or drinking outside those windows may lead to your procedure being cancelled. Please inform your team if you are taking GLP-1s such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda, Mounjaro as this alters your fasting time.
Bowel preparation.
This is rarely needed for gynaecological surgery. If your procedure is one of the uncommon cases where it is required, you will be told well in advance and given step-by-step instructions.
Hospital paperwork.
Sutherland Hospital
- During your consultation a “Request for Admission” form will be completed and this will need to be dropped off to admissions (Sutherland Hospital Outpatient Department) in order for you to be placed on the surgical waitlist.
Kareena Private Hospital
- Please complete the following online admission form:
https://www.kareenaprivate.com.au/For-Patients/Online-Admission-Form
Getting home.
For day surgery you must arrange for someone to drive you home and stay with you overnight. You cannot drive, and you should not be alone, for the first 24 hours after a general anaesthetic.
What to bring
- Comfortable, loose clothing to wear home
- Toiletries and anything you need for an overnight stay
- Your medication list
- Your Medicare card, private health fund details and any referral or paperwork requested
- Something to read, as there is often waiting involved
- Phone charger with a long cord
Please leave jewellery and any valuables at home.
On the day
The hospital will confirm your arrival time and where to check in. Arriving a little early gives you room to move if there are delays.
Once admitted, nursing staff will get you ready for theatre. You will change into a gown and may have a drip placed in your arm. Your anaesthetist will visit to talk through your anaesthetic and answer questions about it.
Dr Peters will see you before you go through to theatre to confirm the plan and answer anything still on your mind. If something occurs to you at that point, ask. Nothing is too small.
After your surgery
Recovery.
You will wake in the recovery area, where nursing staff monitor you closely until the anaesthetic wears off. Feeling groggy, cold or a little nauseated is common and settles.
Pain relief.
You will be given pain relief during and after the procedure, adjusted to what you need. Tell the nursing staff if you are uncomfortable rather than waiting to be asked.
Going home.
Before you are discharged you will receive written instructions covering wound care, what activity is safe, when you can drive and return to work, and which symptoms mean you should call. Keep this somewhere you can find it.
Follow-up.
A follow-up appointment will be arranged to review your recovery, discuss any concerns and review photos from your surgery and results. A report is also sent to your referring GP to maintain continuity of care.
Your hospital stay
How long you stay depends on the procedure. Many minimally invasive operations are done as day surgery, with patients home the same afternoon. More involved procedures may mean one or more nights in hospital. Dr Peters operates at Kareena Private Hospital and The Sutherland Hospital.
Questions before your surgery
If anything is unclear, or something is worrying you as the date gets closer, please call the rooms. It is much better to ask than to spend the week beforehand wondering.