Do not eat or drink anything after midnight before surgery.
Take medications as directed.
Use surgical wipes the night before and morning of surgery if you have been directed to do so.
Need ride/escort home from surgery center if day-surgery is planned.
Wear short-sleeved/loose fitting shirt to surgery.
All patients are restricted from lifting, pushing, pulling with their surgical arm/shoulder until released by Dr. Shi.
Before you leave your home
Do not wear make-up, nail polish or jewelry
Leave valuables at home
Dress in loose short-sleeved shirt
Stock ice in freezer for Polar care ice system if you are having a shoulder procedure
Bring insurance card and ID
Bring MRI/films if they are not stored into our computer system
Bring surgical wipe form, if applicable.
Bring this packet with you if you want to keep additional paper/instructions all together.
On arrival to hospital — DCAM 2C desk 773-702-3131
Report to DCAM 2C
Check in at desk and provide name and phone number of the adult taking you home if day procedure.
Obtain code number to be given to family members
Complete health questionnaire
You will change into a hospital gown; you must remove all clothes.
If you are a female of child-bearing age, you will be asked to give a urine sample so that a pregnant test can be done prior to surgery.
A member of the orthopaedic team will mark your surgical site and will ask if there are any changes in your health since your preoperative appointment.
The anesthesia team will meet with you. If appropriate, the nerve block is administered in the preoperative area prior to your going into the operating room.
After surgery
You will be transported to the recovery room, and Dr. Shi will update your family/friend. You will stay in the recovery room for 1-2 hours, and then you will be transported to your hospital room if you are admitted. If you are having a day procedures, you will receive a copy of your discharge instructions and postoperative nurse will review them with you.
Once you have arrived home, you should attach Polar care icing system if you were given one, eat “light” meals, drink plenty of fluid, and begin taking pain medication when your anesthetic begins to wear off.
Do not wait until block has worn of completely before taking pain medications because you will then be playing “catch-up.” If your block has not worn off before you to go to bed for the night, take pain medication before going to sleep.
As part of your nerve block, you may have received a pain catheter that you are going home with. If this is the case, then you will receive instructions from the pain service about using the pain catheter as well as their 24-hour contact information.
