Preparing for Your Surgery

Proper preparation before surgery helps things go more smoothly and can reduce your risk of complications. This video explains what you need to do before your procedure and what happens on surgery day itself. Following these instructions carefully can make a significant difference to your outcome. Firstly - continue taking all the medications I prescribed for you, including topical steroid sprays and nasal rinse solutions. These help optimise your nasal condition before surgery. If you run out of medication, please request a repeat prescription from me, or your GP well before your surgery date to avoid any gaps in treatment. Also continue your regular medications unless instructed otherwise - I'll discuss this in more detail shortly. You will need to be infection free before your scheduled surgery date. An active upper respiratory tract infection, such as a cold or flu, means we must postpone your procedure for safety reasons. A cold sore in and around the face might also cause your nose surgery to be cancelled. If you suspect you are developing an infection, please contact your GP or my team immediately for review, and appropriate management. Stop taking blood thinners like aspirin and clopidogrel for seventy-two hours before your surgery - unless your cardiologist specifically advises otherwise. This is very important to reduce bleeding risk during the operation. Please discuss your blood thinning medications with my team at least one week before your scheduled procedure - to allow proper planning. If you take warfarin or other oral anticoagulants regularly - your cardiologist may need to convert these to short-acting injections temporarily. Please arrange this well in advance of your surgery date and discuss your anticoagulation management with my team, early in the pre-operative period. Continue taking your regular medications, and your routine GP prescribed or health worker recommended vitamins and supplements. If taking blood pressure tablets or diabetes treatments - continue as normal the day and night before surgery. However, if you take blood pressure medication first thing in the morning - do not take it before arriving at the hospital. Please discuss the timing with the anaesthetist on surgery day. Avoid smoking - or exposure to passive smoking for two weeks before your scheduled surgery. Smoking significantly impairs healing and increases your complication risk after the nasal procedure. If possible, stop smoking completely and permanently: this can dramatically improve your surgical outcomes, healing speed and reduce infection risk. Avoid drinking alcohol the night before your surgery, as it affects anaesthesia and increases bleeding risk during the procedure. Stay well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water instead. Good hydration supports your body during surgery and helps with your recovery. It also makes it easier to establish intravenous access for anaesthesia. My operating lists usually run in the morning which means you need to fast appropriately before arriving. Fast from food from midnight, and from water for three hours before eight o'clock in the morning. The hospital will confirm your specific fasting times when they contact you. A calm arrival can set a positive tone for your surgical experience, and help you feel more relaxed. I recommend arriving at the hospital early - without rushing yourself on the morning of surgery. This helps you avoid racing heartbeat and rising blood pressure from stress. Also - plan your journey carefully, and allow extra time for unexpected traffic or difficulty finding parking. Most of my surgeries are day procedures; meaning you will go home the same day after appropriate recovery. Arrange for a responsible adult to collect you - and drive you home after the procedure. Avoid using public transport, or undertaking long-distance travel after surgery. Also, do not fly on aircraft for three weeks after your procedure due to pressure changes, and risk of bleeding. On surgery day, operations last anywhere from ninety minutes to four hours - depending on the complexity of your specific procedure. Please add approximately one hour for anaesthesia induction and recovery-room time when informing family about collection timing. My team finalises the list order on the day - and children, or patients with diabetes usually go first. I will review you in the recovery area after your surgery to check you are well and comfortable. I usually see you again in your hospital room once you have properly woken up from the general anaesthetic. If urgent matters arise requiring my attention elsewhere - I will telephone you before your discharge to check on you personally. Please also remember to prearrange an appropriate and safe journey home and someone to accompany you there and stay with you for the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery. Thank you for watching this video: If you have any questions about preparing for your procedure or what to expect on surgery day, please contact my team. We are here to help you feel confident and prepared.