Planning For Surgery

We understand that requiring surgery is a stressful process. When you have made the decision to proceed with surgery, there are a number of administrative steps before your operation can take place. The information below will help you to understand the process, and outline some ways to improve your health prior to surgery.

The surgical pre-admission pack

You will be given a surgical pre-admission pack to fill out prior to surgery. This asks for important information such as your contact details, previous and current health conditions, medications and allergies. It is used by the healthcare team treating you during your stay, and should be as accurate as possible. You will need to complete this and return it to the hospital at least one week prior to your operation.

Anaesthetic assessment

You will be asked to complete a questionaire to provide information for your anesthetist prior to surgery. If you are fit and healthy then a formal anaesthetic assessment is generally not required. Your anaesthetist will either call you the day before surgery, or see you on the day of your operation to talk about your anaesthetic. If you have any significant medical health conditions you may need to see your anaesthetist prior to surgery. They may recommend further investigations such as blood tests, cardiac tests or reveiw by another specialist such as a cardiologist. This is to ensure you are safe to proceed with surgery.

Arranging a date for surgery

Once you have made the decision to proceed with surgery, you will require a formal approval from ACC or your insurance company before the operation can go ahead.

If you are being treated under ACC cover, we will submit the request to ACC on your behalf. In most cases, a decision will be made within 3-4 weeks. In more complex cases the decision may take considerably longer. Once ACC notify you that they have approved your surgery, please contact the Mr Gormack’s clinic to arrange a suitable date for your operation.

If you have private health insurance, you will need to submit an application to ensure your procedure is covered. For some insurers we are able to submit this application on your behalf (Southern Cross Health Insurance and NIB). If you are with a different insurer then we can provide all of the documentation you need to submit your claim. Once your claim is approved, you will be able to arrange a date for surgery.

If you are self-funding your surgery, we can obtain an estimate of costs from the hospital for you before you decide to proceed.

Where will my surgery take place?

Mr Gormack operates in Auckland; at Ascot Hospital in Remuera and Ormiston Hospital in Flat Bush. Depending on where you live and the available dates for surgery, you will be treated in one of these two locations. Your hospital pre-admission pack contains all of the necessary information.

When should I stop eating and drinking before surgery?

In order to ensure a safe anaesthetic you need to have an empty stomach when you have your surgery. This means you cannot eat anything for at least six hours prior to surgery. This includes drinks containing milk and even chewing gum. It is safe to have a small amount of plain water up to two hours prior to surgery. These times are specified in your pre-admission pack. If you do not follow these guidelines then you will not be able to have your surgery as planned.

Should i take my regular medication on the morning of surgery?

The majority of medications are safe to take and should be taken with a small amount of water. If you are on blood thinners then these may need to be stopped prior to surgery (see below). If there are any other medications which should not be taken your anaesthetist will advise you prior to your surgery date.

When should i stop my blood thinning medication prior to surgery?

If you take aspirin this does not need to be stopped for surgery. If you take stronger blood thinners (warfarin (Marevan), dabigatran (Pradaxa), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), clopidogrel (Plavix)) they should be stopped 5-7 days before surgery. In some cases you will need to have a daily injection of a short acting blood thinner (Clexane) while you are not taking your regular tablets. If in doubt, please ask us about what to do with your blood thinning medication.

Should i do anything to prepare for surgery?

The best way to prepare for surgery is to maintain a healthy balanced diet, and as much regular exercise as you are able to comfortably manage. If you are a smoker, stopping or cutting down can reduce the risk of problems such as infection and improve wound healing. If you have diabetes, keeping tight control of your blood sugar levels for several weeks before surgery can reduce your risk of infection.

How long will i need to stay in hospital?

The majority of keyhole operations (arthroscopies) are done as day-stay surgery, which means you can go home on the same day of your operation. Shoulder and knee reconstruction, and hip arthroscopy surgery may require one night in hospital. Hip and knee replacement surgery generally requires a 2-3 night stay. You will not be sent home from hospital until your pain is under control and you are safe to manage your daily activites.

Do I need to arrange for someone to take me home after surgery?

You will not be able to drive yourself home after surgery. If you are having day-stay surgery you will take 2-4 hours to fully wake up and recover from your anaesthetic. You will need to arrange to have someone take you home. If you are staying overnight in hospital you will normally be able to go home at around 10am on the day of discharge.