Patient Education

Thank you for choosing Augusta University Medical Center and the Minimally Invasive and Digestive Diseases Surgery Section for your healthcare needs. This information is to help answer some common questions you may have about your operation and provide instructions to follow during your recovery period.

General Pre-Operative Information

Appointments and Work-up, Directions
Prior to your surgery, you will have several office visits. You will see your surgeon who will discuss with you the plan for operation and direct your overall care. You will then see an Anesthesiologist who will be responsible for putting you to sleep for your surgery. You may also be asked to see a primary care physician, Cardiologist (heart doctor) or Pulmonologist (lung doctor) or undergo additional tests to ensure you are ready for surgery. This is your preop evaluation. After you have completed the appropriate work-up and are scheduled for surgery, you will be given information on the date of your surgery and location to arrive. The night prior to your surgery (after 6pm), you should call (706) 721-8896 and you will be told what time you should arrive the next morning.

Map to Preop Areas

Medications and Diet, Bowel Preparation
You should not eat or drink anything after midnight prior to your surgery date. You will be given instructions at your preop appointments about which of your medications you should or should not take the morning of surgery. If you are on blood thinners, you will be asked to stop taking them for at least 5 days prior to surgery. This includes aspirin, plavix (clopidogrel), Coumadin (warfarin), and over-the-counter medications like advil or aleve (ibuprofen) and goody's powder. You should always provide a full list of prescribed and over-the-counter medications that you take to your surgeon at your preop visit.You may be asked to take a bowel prep in order to clean out your colon prior to your operation. Different preps may be used depending on the surgery you are having and the preference of your surgeon. Follow the given instructions.

Bathing and Shaving
You will be given instructions on bathing prior to your operation. Typically this involves a chlorhexadine (a special type of soap you will be given at your preop visit) shower the night prior and the morning of surgery. It is very important to perform this shower as instructed to reduce the risk of infection after surgery. The area to be operated on will typically be clipped of any hair. This is done when you check in the morning of your surgery date or in the operating room after you are asleep. It is NOT recommended you do this yourself at home.

Surgery Specific Information

Surgery Specific Information

Postoperative Information
Upon discharge from the hospital after your surgery, you will be given instructions on wound or dressing care, pain management, medications changes, and follow-up. Any diet restrictions or physical limitations will be included as well.

Pain Management
You will be given appropriate narcotic or non-narcotic medication upon discharge depending on the type of surgery you had and the expected level of pain after that surgery. It is very important that you inform your surgeon of any problems you have had in the past with pain medications or any such medications you are currently taking so that a different medication can be prescribed and your pain can be well controlled once you go home.Most commonly, pain is worst the first one to three days after your surgery, with continued gradual improvement until you are pain free. The severity and duration depends on the type and extent of your surgery. Resuming normal activities (except any specific restrictions placed by your doctor) typically helps pain resolve faster. If your pain is not well controlled or worsens after initially getting better, you should call your surgeon. Common side effects of pain medications are nausea, vomiting, constipation or light-headedness. Contact your surgeon if these symptoms occur and your prescription may be changed. Taking pain medications with food is recommended to decrease these side effects.

Complications
If you develop any fever (>101 F), worsening pain, redness around your incisions, drainage from your incisions, nausea/vomiting, or other concerning symptoms following your surgery, you should contact your surgeon.

Postoperative Diet
For most outpatient operations, you may resume a normal diet beginning the night of or morning after your surgery. You may have some abdominal bloating or mild nausea after your operation, so eat slowly and only what you can tolerate. Your appetite may be less than usual but typically returns to normal within a week or two. Be sure to drink plenty of liquids (6-8 glasses of water of juice each day).For surgery of the abdomen (examples: stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, pancreas, adrenal) that requires a hospital stay, you will begin eating depending on the extent of your surgery, type of surgery, and how you are feeling the next morning. Some surgery requires very specific diet instructions, such as bariatric (weight loss) surgery or reflux surgery. Your surgeon will discuss this with you and you will likely receive detailed instructions from a dietician prior to your discharge.

Resuming Usual Medications
Unless otherwise instructed, you should be able to resume your usual home medications the night of or the morning following your surgery.

Follow Up
You will be given a date and time to see your surgeon following surgery. If you are discharged late in the day or over the weekend, you will be given a number to call the following business day for an appointment. If you are having trouble making an appointment, you should call your doctors' office directly for assistance.
Daytime hours: Call 706-721-4686 or 7597
After hours and weekends: Call 706-721-8400