Preop Spinal Surgery Instructions
For SPINAL Patients
In General
- You will be notified by the Admitting Hospital the appointment date & time for your Pre-Admission clinic assessment.
- Stop all anti-clotting medication that interferes with your clotting ability 7-10 days prior to surgery.
- If you have had a stent placed in your heart, brain and other blood vessels, please contact your treating physician and confirm that you can be taken OFF the anti-clotting medication prior to the surgery.
- If you have a significant cardiac, respiratory, kidney or liver condition that may place you in a “high risk” situation for complications following surgery, please notify your treating physician, the Pre-Admission Clinic and our Practice. You may require a preoperative assessment to optimize your health status before we can schedule your surgery.
- If you are a diabetic, notify the Pre-Admission Clinic to receive instructions on your fasting times just prior to surgery and the instructions on the use of these medications.
- If you suffer from sleep apnoea, you must notify the Pre-Admission Clinic, and bring your CPAP machine during the time of your hospitalization.
- If you suffer from Latex Allergy or have had an Adverse Anaesthetic reaction, please notify the Pre-Admission Clinic and contact the Anaesthetist who will be performing your anaesthesia prior to the date of surgery.
- If you have a pacemaker, notify the surgeon in order to organize appropriate equipment for surgery that will be pacemaker friendly.
- Continued smoking before and after surgery will increase your risk for lung complications, delay bone and wound healing, and increase the risk of infection. For the best results, you will need to stop smoking 4 weeks before surgery and 3-6 months after surgery.
Specific to Your Surgery
- Please OBTAIN all patient information regarding your planned surgical procedure from the Practice.
- If you still are unsure about your procedure, please contact the Practice to organise an appointment for a face to face consult with your Surgeon and/or Nurse Practitioner to go through the expectations and anticipated outcomes for surgery vs no surgery and type of surgery.
- Confirm the date of your surgery with the Practice.
- Confirm with your Health Fund that you are covered for your surgery. You may need to item numbers used for the procedure.
- Confirm that your Workers Compensation/Third Party Insurer has approved your planned surgery.
- Have your scans specific to the surgery scheduled ready and available, bundled and brought with you when you are admitted on the day of surgery.
- Failure to have your SCANS present on the day of surgery may result in a cancellation or postponement of the procedure.
For patients undergoing MAZOR Renaissance™ Robotic-Assisted spinal surgeries, you will require a pre-operative planning CT scan of the area of interest. This planning CT scan MUST be performed at I-MED Radiology at Westmead Private Hospital. NO OTHER RADIOLOGY practice will be acceptable for use in the operating room.
