Surgery

One of the best ways we prepare our patients for positive surgical outcomes is through our preadmission testing (PAT) service. This screening takes place before surgery and helps ensure that our patients are in their best physical condition before their operation.

Your surgeon's office will schedule your PAT visit for you.

During your PAT visit, we'll gather critical preoperative information about your medical and surgical history. We may obtain testing such as lab work, an EKG or a chest x-ray as indicated by your surgeon or anesthesiologist.

Here's what to expect at your PAT visit:

• You will need to register in Outpatient Registration, located on the north side of the hospital.
• Your PAT visit will last about one hour. However, it may take longer if you have a more complicated medical history.
• You will have blood drawn if your doctor orders lab work is ordered by your doctor. If you have had recent lab work, you can bring a copy of those results to your visit.
• The nurse will review your current medications (prescription and over-the-counter), so please bring them or provide a list detailing dosage and how often you take each medicine.
• You may meet with other care providers, such as a physical therapist or a case manager, depending on your needs.
• The nurse will provide you with a special skin cleanser to use before surgery to decrease the risk of postoperative infection.

If you have questions or need to reschedule a PAT appointment, please call the Surgery Department at 270.651.1839.

Unless otherwise instructed by your surgeon, please follow these instructions for the day before and the day of your surgery:

• Do not drink or eat anything after midnight the night before your procedure.
• Wear comfortable clothes to the hospital. You will be given a hospital gown to wear.
• Bring comfortable clothes to wear home. For example, large, loose clothing to accommodate bulky dressings.
• Do not wear makeup, fingernail polish or toe polish.
• Please do not chew gum, flavored toothpicks or tobacco the morning of your surgery.
• Please do not eat candy, mints, cough drops or throat lozenges the morning of your surgery.
• Please leave valuables (rings, watches, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and wigs) and money at home.
• Please arrange for someone to drive you home. You will not be able to drive for a minimum of 24 hours after your procedure.
• Please do not wear contact lenses to the hospital. If necessary, bring your glasses.
• Please bring your medicines with you the morning of your procedure and give them to the nurse.
• Bathe the morning of your procedure to decrease the chances of post-procedure infection.
• Please remove body piercings and jewelry.
• If you use hearing aids, please wear them when you come in.
• You may brush your teeth the morning of the procedure, but do not swallow any water.
• You may take medicines your doctor has told you take the morning of your procedure with a sip of water.

If you have questions about these instructions, please call Outpatient Surgery at 270.651.4440 or 270.651.4439.

For many people, relying on narcotics for post-surgical recovery is an undesirable option. At T.J. Regional Health, we have an alternative pain relief method known as the On-Q Pain Relief System, which works better than traditional narcotics.

The On-Q system is a post-surgical pain pump that delivers local anesthetic directly to the area experiencing discomfort. Numbing medicine fills the pump that attaches to tubes placed under the skin near the incision site. Your anesthesiologist can place the pump easily during your operation.

Here are some of the reasons we recommend the On-Q pump:

• It works significantly better than narcotics alone.
• It reduces narcotic use.
• It avoids side effects and complications of narcotics.
• It accelerates recovery.

Ask your surgeon's office for more information about On-Q.

Your surgery will take place in the main operating room on the third floor of T.J. Samson Community Hospital. We have a comfortable family waiting room on the same floor so that your loved ones will be nearby.

The family waiting area has televisions, telephones, vending machines, reading material, free Wi-Fi, free coffee and a quiet zone for those who wish to read and rest.