Surgery Patients

Helpful tips and reminders and what to expect for surgery patients at Manhattan Surgical HospitalAt Manhattan Surgical Hospital, our goal is to make each patient's surgical experience as convenient and comfortable as possible.

Before Surgery
On the day of surgery, be sure to bring proof of insurance and state- or government-issued identification. Upon arrival, our medical staff will take your medical history. The anesthesia provider will ask about your medical history as well, so there may be some overlap between the questions.

Here is additional information for surgery patients:

  • Do not consume any food or drink, including water, after midnight prior to surgery. Generally, cardiac and respiratory medications can be taken the morning of surgery with enough water to swallow. Please ask the medical staff for clarification if you take medications in the morning.
  • The hospital will provide instructions on when to arrive for your procedure, usually between one to two hours in advance, depending on the type of surgery. Please ask medical staff for clarification if you are unsure of what time to arrive.
  • All patients must have a legal driver to drive them home following surgery. If you do not arrive to your surgery with a driver, your surgery may be cancelled.
  • Our facility provides gowns and basic toiletry items for overnight inpatient procedures, but we encourage patients to bring their own items if it will make their stay more comfortable.
  • It is fine to bathe prior to your procedure, but limit the amount of hairspray, make-up, and body lotion applied. Nail polish is not permitted.
  • Leave valuables at home (examples: purses, watches, and jewelry).
  • We encourage patients to wear glasses instead of contact lenses. If this is not possible, then please bring the supplies necessary to hold the contact lenses when they are removed.
  • Women of childbearing age should expect to do a urine pregnancy test prior to the procedure.
  • The anesthesia provider will discuss taking any home medications prior to surgery.
  • Bring your  assistive device (walker, crutches, knee scooter, etc.) with you to the hospital.
  • Home medications needs to be in the original pill bottle and brought to hospital to use for medication administration.

After Surgery
Following your surgery, recovery times vary. Most procedures require 30 to 45 minutes in our post-anesthesia care unit, phase 1 area. Once discharged from Phase 1, you are then moved to Phase 2 or Step Down. In Step Down, patients are usually kept between 45-60 minutes, or longer depending on your physician's orders.

We prefer patients to eat, drink, void, and have pain under control prior to discharge. You may be drowsy for the rest of the day; drowsiness is not usually an indicator you will need to remain at our facility. However, you will be kept longer if you are extremely drowsy or hard to arouse. Generally, the Step Down phase lasts one hour and then you are discharged to leave with your designated legal driver.

For Pediatric Patients
We understand that surgery can be intimidating for a child, so our staff strives to accommodate for the unique needs of this age group. We encourage parents to dress their child in a two-piece outfit and bring along any comfort items such as a pacifier, blanket or stuffed animal. Your child can take these items to the operating room for comfort and have it with them following surgery.

Parents of pediatric patients are required to stay in the building the entire time the child is in the facility, including when your child is in the operating room. Parents and family members are not allowed in the operating room or post-anesthesia care unit. However, you are welcome to stay with your child until they are taken back to surgery and medical staff will bring the family back to the patient as soon as he/she is stable in Step Down or the inpatient area.

Finally, when your child is discharged to go home, they must be secured in an age-appropriate car seat.

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