Inpatient Surgery
Inpatient surgery requires you to spend at least one night in the hospital. Whether your surgery is preformed on an inpatient basis depends on the complexity of the procedure, the time required for recovery and in some cases, your overall health and general condition.
Your Riverside surgeon and staff will be happy to explain your particular procedure and what you should expect in terms of pain management, your rehabilitation or the type of home assistance required. Don't hesitate to ask questions. Ask-A-Nurse is also a good resource for information about surgery preparation and recovery. They can be reached at (757) 595-6363 or 1-800-675-6368.
Regardless of the procedure performed, your inpatient experience will follow along these lines:
Preparing for inpatient surgery
Because your hand and wrist is usually a scheduled surgery rather than an emergency, you'll have time to prepare for the surgery and recovery period. Here are some preparations that will make life more convenient while you are healing.
Make sure your medical insurance coverage in order
Insurance coverage is one area you don't want to worry about. Well before the surgery, contact your insurer to make sure you understand the following:
- Need for a second opinion on your surgery.
- Hospital and health care providers' status as "in-network" or "preferred."
- Deductibles for hospital services.
- Limits on length of stay.
- Coverage for hospital rehabilitation services.
- After-care services for your arthroplasty surgery, such as physical or occupational therapy. (Ask whether the therapists must be from an approved list and how many visits or sessions are covered.)
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Any medical equipment and whether they must be obtained from approved vendors.
Get your home ready for recovery
After your surgery, use of your arm will be severely limited while you are recovering. Planning ahead can save aggravation and keep your hand and wrist safe.
- Go through the house and place frequently used items within arm's reach.
- Make sure you have a sturdy chair with arms in the room where you will spend most of your time. Place a table, wastebasket, phone and TV remote control nearby.
- Buy or prepare and freeze meals in advance.
- Take care of important paperwork and get caught up on bills
- Ask neighbors, friends and family for help in advance.
Medical preparations
Depending on the complexity of your surgery, you may be asked to make additional preparations.
- Donate your blood. Because you may require a blood transfusion during or after your surgery, you may be asked to donate your own blood.
- Pre-operative testing. You'll need to go for Preoperative Assessment testing before your operation or on the day of your surgery. Call Riverside scheduling at (757) 989-8830.
- Nutrition. Your body needs to be in the best condition possible before the stresses of surgery. This means you should try to lose weight if you are overweight. Everyone should eat a healthy, well balanced diet and increase your intake of calcium, iron and vitamin C. Calcium is important for building and maintaining bone strength. Iron builds red blood cells, which help healing. Vitamin C improves the absorption of iron into the body.
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- The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of calcium is 1000 to 1200 milligrams a day.
- The RDA for iron is 8-18 milligrams a day.
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The RDA for vitamin C is 75-90 milligrams a day.
The Night Before
Do not have anything to eat or drink after midnight before your surgery. (This includes mints, chewing gum, coffee, tea or water.) Since you'll be using anesthesia, it's essential that your stomach is empty during surgery.
- If you smoke, cut down or quit as soon as possible. Smoking changes blood flow patterns, delays healing and slows recovery. If you haven't stopped yet, it is very important that you do not smoke after midnight before your surgery or the first 24 hours after. Please be advised that Riverside Regional Medical Center is a non-smoking hospital.
- If you drink, do not consume any alcohol for at least 48 hours before surgery.
- If you use any type of controlled substances, tell your doctor. Narcotics and other drugs can have an impact on your surgery.
- Take a shower or bath the night before your surgery to help reduce the risk of infection.
- Do not shave the area of your surgery.
- Do not wear any make-up, lipstick or nail polish.
The Day of your Surgery
What to bring
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Low heeled walking shoes with non-skid soles or tennis shoes. No open heel shoes or clogs.
- Pajamas and a short bathrobe
- Loose fitting, comfortable clothing to wear when you get up and move after surgery
- Toilet articles and any other needed personal items.
- Eyeglasses
- If you use an inhaler, please bring it
- Bring any orders given to you by your doctor and give them to the person who admits you.
- Insurance card, driver's license or other government issued-issued ID
- Leave all your valuables at home — money, jewelry and credit cards.
- A list of your home medication, including nonprescription or herbal items along with a list of what you take them for, how often (unless on the medication packaging) and dosage.
What to expect
Riverside offers surgery on the same day you are admitted, so instead of spending the night before in the hospital, you can sleep in your own bed. You'll be given instructions on food, medicine and liquid intake and told the time to come to the hospital.
Admission
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At the hospital, you'll take care of some hospital admission paperwork. Don't forget to bring your insurance card and a driver's license or other government-issued ID.
- In the pre-surgery unit, a nurse will speak with you and verify your health history and allergies.
- You'll put on a gown and lay on a stretcher. From here on out, you'll be wheeled to the various areas for your surgery and recovery.
- Intravenous fluids will be started to provide you with medication and fluid during surgery and for a day or two after your operation.
- You may receive medication to help you relax and dry out your mouth.
- You'll be given general, spinal, or epidural anesthesia.
After the surgery
Regardless of the type of inpatient surgery performed on your wrist or hand, your recovery and rehabilitation will follow along these general lines.
Recovery room
Once the operation is over, you'll be moved to the recovery room where specially trained nurses will continue to monitor your vital signs. Once your condition is stabilized, you'll be moved to a hospital room where you'll be given pain medication. Your family will be notified as soon as your operation is over. In your hospital room, nurses will continue to monitor your vital signs and wound dressing.
Orthopedic unit stay
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During your time in the hospital, your orthopaedic surgeon, nurses and physical therapists will monitor your condition and progress closely.
- You may be surprised how quickly after your surgery the nurses have you up and moving around.
- It's important after surgery to cough and breathe deeply to help your lungs remain clear.
- You'll also need to change positions with the help of a nurse about every 2-4 hours to help keep your skin and blood flow healthy.
Pain relief
Postoperative pain management enables you to do the required physical therapy and to minimize pain and stress. If a general or spinal anesthesia was used, postoperative pain relief may be delivered intravenously. You will be able to control the flow of medication, within preset limits as you feel the need for additional relief. Gradually the pain medication will be reduced and you'll be given solid food.
Usually, you'll be discharged once you meet rehabilitative milestones such as getting in and out of bed unassisted and walking a short distance.
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