Pre-op Instructions
Patient information
Pre-op Instructions
This page outlines pre-operative instructions for patients receiving IV sedation. Compliance with each step is essential for your safety and to avoid delays or cancellations. Read every section and contact our office with any questions—especially regarding blood thinners, anti-resorptive medications, heart conditions, recent illness, or prior head and neck radiation.
Making Every Visit Comfortable, Precise, and Effective
If you are having IV sedation:
- DO NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING IN THE EIGHT (8) HOURS BEFORE SURGERY.
- Regularly scheduled medications may be taken with a small sip of water.
- Have someone to drive you home. Your driver must remain in the office during the entire appointment Patients under the age of 18 MUST have a parent or legal guardian present.
- Please wear comfortable clothing and a short sleeve shirt.
- Please remove all nail polish and artificial nails.
- Provide a list of ALL medications with dosages.
- Contact lenses, jewelry, dentures, and facial piercing (tongue ring, lip ring) must be removed at the time of surgery for your safety.
- If you have an illness such as a cold, sore throat, upset stomach, or diarrhea, please notify the office. We may ask you to re-schedule your surgery to a date when you feel better.
Pre-Operative Antibiotics:
There are certain conditions where it may be recommended you take an antibiotic before your surgery. Typically, these are taken one hour before your surgery with a small sip of water. Some of these conditions may include:
- Heart valve surgery
- A history of bacterial endocarditis
- Certain congenital heart defects
If You Are On Blood Thinners:
We will contact your primary care doctor or the doctor prescribing these medications to gain recommendations prior to surgery. We will need recent labs (INR) if you are taking warfarin (Coumadin). If you have not heard from the office about the management plan for your blood thinners, please call the office at least one week before your surgery date
Common blood thinners include: Warfarin (Coumadin), Clopidogrel (Plavix), Aspirin/dipyridamole (Aggrenox), Ticlopidine (Ticlid), Dabigatran (Pradaxa), Enoxaparin (Lovenox), Dalteparin (Fragmin), Prasugrel (Effient).
Anti-resorptive Bone Medications:
If you are currently taking, or have taken in the past, any bone density medications for osteoporosis or cancer treatment (e.g. multiple myeloma, breast cancer, metastatic bone cancers), it is important you notify your surgeon prior to ANY procedure.
Examples of these medications (i.e., bisphosphonates) include: Alendronate (Fosamax), Pamidronate (Aredia), Ibandronate (Boniva), Risedronate (Actonel), Zoledronic acid (Zometa, Reclast), Prolia (Denosumab).
Head and Neck Radiation:
If you have ever received head and neck radiation for oral (throat) cancer, please bring a detailed treatment summary from your radiation oncologist prior to surgery.
