Pre-Operative Instructions

Pre Operative Testing and Medical Clearance

Most surgical patients will require medical clearance from their Primary Care physician. We will advise you if you do. We ask that your medical clearance and pre operative testing be performed in the two weeks prior to surgery, allowing ample time for your physician to receive and review your test results and forward them to our office at least 48 hours prior to your surgery date.

Schedule this appointment as soon as you and our surgical coordinator have agreed on a surgery date.

Contact your Primary Care physician’s office and request an appointment for medical clearance for surgery.

Immediately after scheduling your appointment, contact our surgical coordinator and provide the following information:

• Name of the practitioner you will be seeing
• Date of your appointment

The surgical coordinator will fax paperwork to your doctor’s office, prior to your appointment, with information about your surgery, specific testing Dr. Hope is requesting and where to send the results.

Hospital pre surgical interview

The hospital where you will be having your surgery will conduct a pre surgical interview. During this interview the hospital will pre register you, then a nurse will conduct an interview during which they will:

• Record your medical history
• Ask you about medications you are taking and discuss how you should take these prior to surgery
• Review your instructions for the night before surgery
• Confirm where you should arrive the day of surgery
• Talk to you about what you can expect the day of surgery and post operatively at the hospital

Please contact your hospital to schedule this interview:

Reston Hospital	(703) 689-9005
Inova Fair Oaks Hospital	(703) 391-3500

Northern Virginia Surgery Center will contact you.

Medications and products to discontinue

Do not take any aspirin, aspirin products or anti inflammatory medication one week prior to surgery. This includes prescription and over the counter anti inflammatory medications. These products include, but are not limited to, Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen, Aleve, Naprosyn, Ultracet, Celebrex and Plavix. These products may cause bleeding problems during surgery.

If you are on Wafarin (brand name: Coumadin, Jantoven, Marevan, Lawarin, Waran, and Warfant), make sure to address this fact with our medical staff since it may cause serious complications during and after a surgical procedure.

Discontinue use of any diet pills and herbal or natural supplements two weeks prior to surgery.

Do not take vitamin E. Most multi-vitamins and vitamin A, B, C, D and calcium may be continued.

Dental Work

To reduce your risk of infection, we ask that you avoid any dental appointments two weeks prior to and two weeks after your surgery.

Hibiclens antiseptic cleanser

Dr. Hope asks all surgical patients to purchase Hibiblens antiseptic cleanser and wash with it the night before and morning of surgery in order to reduce your risk of infection. It is an over the counter product and can be purchased at most pharmacies.

Illness prior to surgery

If you become ill or have a fever within 48 hours of surgery contact our office immediately.

Traveling from and to the hospital

All patients, regardless of what type of surgery you are having, will need someone to transport them to and from the hospital. Taxi cabs will not be able to pick you up.

The Night Before and Day of Surgery

Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery. The morning of surgery you may take medication with a small sip of water. The hospital pre op nurse who interviews you will give special instructions to diabetics and clarify which medications to take the morning of surgery. Eating or drinking anything the day of surgery may cause your surgery to be cancelled. Do not smoke or drink alcohol 24 hours prior to surgery.

Wash with HIBICLENS antiseptic cleanser the night before and morning of surgery. Wash your body following product instructions.

Bring your MRI with you to the hospital. If Dr. Hope does not have your MRI he cannot perform your surgery.

Please arrive at the hospital at the time given to you by our office, not the hospital.