Incisional Hernias - Before Surgery
Preoperative work up helps to assess a patient’s ability to withstand the stress of anesthesia.
Preoperative measures for the surgical procedure are:
- Many months before the surgery, the patient's doctor may advise for weight loss to help reduce the risks of surgery and to improve the surgical results.
- In diabetics the control of sugar is advocated.
- In smokers – cessation of smoking for over a month or more before surgery is recommended.
- If on any blood thinning tablets like aspirin – it should be stopped for 3 to 5 days before surgery. Some of the newer medications like clopidrel need to be stopped for a week before surgery.
- However do check with surgeon first before stopping any tablets.
- Close to the time of the scheduled surgery, the patient will have standard preoperative blood and urine tests, an electrocardiogram, and a chest x ray to make sure that heart and lungs and major organ systems are functioning well.
- Starting the night before surgery, patients must not eat or drink anything.
- The lower chest, abdomen, groin and genital area may be shaved and prepared for the surgery.
- The night before surgery a bath maybe advisable. While bathing thorough cleaning of the abdominal and genital area with soap and water a few times can help in lowering the bacterial count and lessen the chances of any infection from surgery.
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- An enema maybe administered to the patient prior to performing the surgery. Sometimes a laxative maybe given instead of an enema to clear the bowels prior to surgery.
- Once in the hospital, a tube may be placed into a vein in the arm (intravenous line) to deliver fluid and medication during surgery.
- The patient will be given a preoperative injection of antibiotics before the procedure. A sedative may be given to relax the patient.
- On the evening before the operation a light easily digestible meal is advised.
