Pre-Operative Instructions for
General Anesthesia or Intravenous Sedation
These pre-operative instructions are for patients who have had a prior in-office consultation for surgery with intravenous sedation or general anesthesia.
Please read and follow carefully the instructions below.
- Do not eat or drink (not even water) for six hours prior to your surgical appointment! It is unnecessary to fast longer than that.
- Do not drink any alcohol or smoke for 24 hours prior to surgery.
- Brush your teeth before you come in.
- If you use mouthwash, do not swallow it.
- Take your usual morning medications, unless otherwise directed by Dr. Strahs, at least two hours before surgery with a small sip of water
- Do not take aspirin or any drugs containing aspirin (e.g., Alka Seltzer, Midol) for seven days prior to your surgery, unless you have discussed daily aspirin therapy with Dr. Strahs. Avoid Motrin, Advil, and ibuprofen for at least 24 hours prior to surgery.
- Current research indicates that vitamin E and certain herbs (e.g., ginko biloba, fever few, ginseng, and dong quai) inhibit clotting. Discontinue vitamin E and any herbs that inhibit clotting, seven days prior to your surgery.
- No smoking for 2 Weeks after your surgery.
- Do not drive your own car to our office on the day of your surgery. You must bring a responsible person to accept postoperative instructions and drive you home. Remember, you are not to drive or operate heavy machinery for 24 hours after anesthesia.
- Have your driver park on the Fitness level (4th floor) so that we can take you directly to your car in a wheelchair from our recovery room. We do not "validate" parking. So, please be prepared to pay the building's parking fees, which are from $8 - $20.
- Wear loose fitting clothing, slacks or short sleeves (so that we can apply EKG pads easily (no dresses). Avoid high heels and colored nail polish.
- Do not wear perfume body lotion, or jewelry.
- Remove contact lenses before surgery.
- Sign consent for surgery and anesthesia. If you are under the age of 18, you must bring your parent(s) or guardian with you to your surgery, or prior arrangements must be made for us to obtain written consent prior to your surgery.
- If you are unable to keep your appointment, please notify our office IMMEDIATELY. Failure to give us sufficient notification of at least 24 hours in advance will result in a cancellation fee being charged to you for the reserved surgical facility.
- If you develop a cough, cold, or chest congestion, or otherwise become ill, call the office to reschedule your surgery. You may not have an intravenous anesthetic with upper respiratory symptoms.