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What to Expect the day of surgery
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You will admitted to the hospital on the day of your surgery.
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After completing some paperwork in the admitting office, you will be directed to
the Short Stay area on the Main level. Your relatives will be allowed to stay with
you until you are called into the operating room.
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In the Short Stay area you will receive a special gown and stockings. An IV will
be placed in your hand or arm in order to start intravenous fluids and administer
antibiotics. You will also receive an injection under your skin to help prevent
blood clots.
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You will then wait to enter the Operating Room. The time of surgery that you have
been given is only an estimate. All surgeries take as long as necessary to provide
the best results, which could sometimes result in a delay of several hours. We understand
you may be anxious, and we will do our best to make you comfortable. Please remember
that when you are the patient in the operating room, the surgeon will take as much
time and care as necessary to successfully complete your procedure.
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A nurse will interview you and instruct you on how to use an incentive spirometer.
This device is used to help expand your lungs and prevent pneumonia.
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The anesthesiologist will interview and examine you.
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When it is time to bring you into the operating room, your relatives will be instructed
to wait in the waiting area, or main lobby of the hospital. They will also be provided
with an in-house beeper, if they should choose to go to the cafeteria.
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You will be escorted to the OR by the operating room nurse, or taken by wheelchair
or stretcher if you are unable to walk.
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You will be asked to move onto the OR table and given medications to help calm you
and make you sleepy. You will see the equipment and instruments in the operating
room.
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At this time the anesthesiologist staff will place some sticky pads on your chest
to monitor your heartbeat. An oxygen mask will be placed on your face and anesthesia
will then be administered through your IV.
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The next steps occur once you are asleep:
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A tube is placed in your airway to provide your heart and brain with oxygen since
your lungs fall asleep.
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A catheter is placed into your urinary bladder. No drains or catheters are placed
for the Lap-Band® procedure.
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The surgery begins. It may last between 2 to 5 hours. The OR will notify your relatives
when the surgery begins, and update them as it proceeds. The surgeon will speak
with your family in the waiting room when the procedure is finished.
- You will wake from surgery in the recovery room.You
may not remember anything.You may not remember talking to your doctor in the recovery
room.
- After surgery you will remain in the recovery
room for 1-2 hours. You might experience some nausea and/or pain. This is common.
- When you wake up in the recovery room you may see drains
protruding from your belly if you had the Gastric Bypass surgery. These will be
removed before you go home.
- After a short stay in
the recovery room you will be transferred to the Medical Center slevel 10 where
you will stay until you aredischarged. You will be asked to sit up in a chair and
perform deep breathing exercises with an incentive spirometer.
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The day after surgery you will be started on small sips of water, not to exceed
more than a few tablespoons (30cc) an hour. You will be given small cups to show
you how much to drink within a 15 minute period.
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You will be asked to stand up and try to walk. It is imperative that you begin
walking as soon as possible in order to prevent blood clots.
- If you tolerate the sips of water the
day after surgery, your diet will advance accordingly in the following days. On
average, our patients remain in the hospital 1 day after the Lap-Band® procedure,
and 3 - 5 days following the Gastric Bypass.
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your surgeon is satisfied that your digestive system is functioning properly, your
diet will be advanced to a clear liquid diet, and you will be discharged. The drains
and catheters will be removed before you leave the hospital. Your belly drains may
remain for up to 1 week and be removed in the doctor's office.
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Once you're home, it is important that you follow the instructions you've been given.Youmay
be ordered to takea Pepcid® 20 mg by mouth every day. We may provide you with
a pain medication prescription, which you should take only when you have severe
pain.
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You may feel very tired and may need lots of help during your first week at home.
You should have a friend or family member stay with you for 1 - 2 weeks. Estimate
that you will be out of work for at least 3 - 4 weeks following a Gastric Bypass,
and 1 week following the Lap-Band® Procedure.
- You should already have made an appointment to see your
bariatric surgeon within 7 - 10 days following surgery. If you have not, please call
the surgeons' office (203-576-5539 or 203-852-2600) to schedule your visit as soon
as possible.
- Please do not hesitate to contact the
surgeons' office with any questions or difficulties you may be experiencing. One
of the surgeons is available at all times.
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