Telephone: 905. 273. 3045

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Getting Ready for Surgery

This section is quite detailed and covers many important topics that will help you get ready for surgery. In this section we cover the following topics:

     • The weeks prior to surgery
     • The day before surgery
     • The day of surgery
     • Recovering from surgery
     • Surgical risks
     • Additional surgery

The weeks prior to surgery.

The 2-3 weeks prior to surgery are really very important. This is when you must get mentally and physically ready for surgery. You must think positively and tap into your inner strength for this exciting, but stressful event.

Here are some important do's and don’ts.
They are also important after surgery:

• Do your regular exercise. Be as fit as you can. Think positively.
• Do not take: Aspirin, nonsteroidal antinflammatories and Vitamin E. These tend to increase bleeding during surgery.
• Do not smoke. Smoking has definitely been shown to increase the risks before and after many plastic surgery procedures. Smoking decreases the blood supply to the skin and therefore often leads to skin loss. It also significantly interferes with wound healing.
• Do not drink any alcohol. This may interfere with the anaesthetic adversely.
• Take your regular medications. You must discuss these with us prior to the scheduled surgery and if need be, we will arrange a consult with our anaesthetist.
• Please advise us, as soon as possible if your medical condition changes in any way. For example, it is not uncommon for people to report the development of a "flu" or common cold. Our decision as to whether to proceed with surgery is made on an individual basis. We will always choose the safest alternative. This may mean rescheduling surgery.

The day before Surgery.     up

Please confirm the time of your surgery. You should call us to confirm the time of the surgery and the time to arrive for it. One usually has to arrive at the Clinic or the hospital one to one and a half hours before the actual surgery.

You should try to fill your prescription for postoperative pain medication. This will make the day of surgery less hectic. We use a variety of different medications. If you know of one that works please discuss this with Dr. Weinberg.

You will need some dressings for the operative site. Please pick these up from your local Pharmacy or Medical Mart in Mississauga.

You should get all the things you need for surgery ready. Place them in a bag so that on the day of surgery you do not forget anything. If at all possible try to spend some time relaxing. Do something that makes you feel good. You should try to spend a relaxing and quiet day. Think positive thoughts.

Do not eat or drink anything after 12:00pm i.e. midnight. This includes water, candy and gum.

The day of surgery.    up

Please shower. Please pay specific attention to the area that is being operated on. If facial surgery is being done then please shampoo the hair well.

Please do not place any elastics in your hair, as we will do this for you.

Please do not wear any make-up.

You may have your usual medications with sips of water in the morning of surgery, as long as you have discussed this with Dr. Weinberg or the anaesthetist.

You must arrive one to one and a half hours prior to the time of your surgery. This will give us time to prepare you and process all the paperwork.

Please wear comfortable clothing. It must be nice and loose fitting. If you are having any breast surgery then please bring a bra with you. It should have the underwire removed.

Please leave all valuables at home. We prefer you not to wear any jewellery at all.

You should have somebody drop you at the clinic. They can wait for you or they can go home. If they go home then we can call them in time to pick you up. You must have a responsible adult stay with you for 24 hours after the surgery.

Please do not wear any makeup. Please don’t wear makeup for three weeks after facial surgery.

Recovering from surgery.    up

The first 2 days are the toughest, so please take it easy. You should plan to spend these at home with lots of help. This is your special time so make sure you get pampered. On the first day plan to have some water and soft simple food. Don’t have anything too heavy or spicy. Don’t push yourself. A good rule of thumb is that if it hurts then you should not be doing it. Once you are past these days then you are well on your way to recovery, and enjoying the results of the surgery. You will regain your appetite. If you feel nauseated and vomit then take Gravol. It works quite well and is available over the counter at any Pharmacy.

You will have some discomfort and oozing from the surgical site. Should you have an excessive amount of pain, bleeding or swelling then please call Dr. Weinberg directly or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.
You must not drive for at least 24 hours after the surgery. Each procedure affects the body in a different way. You must be totally recovered before you drive again.

The dressings of the surgical site are left alone until the first postoperative visit with Dr. Weinberg. There is nothing magic about these dressings. If they are too wet or messy then please call the clinic and we will be more than happy to talk you through the dressing change.

Surgical Risks:    up

This section has some general information about the general risks of surgery. Every surgical procedure has general risks i.e. ones that are associated with simply having an operation. Every surgical procedure has specific risks i.e. ones that are associated with that specific procedure. It is important that you understand the risks. You must weigh the risks versus the potential benefits.

Although the majority of patients do not experience the following complications, you may experience one or more of them. You should discuss each of them with us and ask any questions which are of concern to you.
We do our very best to avoid these risks. Should a complication occur then we do our very best to treat it as soon as possible. Complications after surgery usually are a nuisance and in most cases do not affect the final result.

Bleeding:
It is possible, though unusual, to experience a bleeding episode during or after surgery. Should post-operative bleeding occur, it may require emergency treatment to drain accumulated blood or rarely blood transfusion. Do not take any aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications for ten days before surgery, as this may increase the risk of bleeding.

Infection:
Infection of the surgical site is possible, and will be detected as early as possible by Dr. Weinberg at the post-operative visits. You should be on the lookout for redness, pain and swelling at the surgical site. Treatment including antibiotics or additional surgery may be necessary.

Skin scarring:
All surgical incisions produce scarring. Scars may be fine lines, spread or keloid. The quality of these scars is unpredictable. Plastic surgeons do their best to hide the scars in the best possible location. Scars are always permanent; they usually fade with time. Abnormal scars may occur within the skin and deeper tissue. In some cases, scars may require surgical revision or other treatments.

Skin loss:
Skin during surgery is kept alive by the part that is left attached to your body. It is possible, though uncommon, that you may lose a small part of this skin. The final result depends on the extent of the loss. Usually this generally means a wider scar.

Change in skin sensation:
You may experience a change in the sensitivity of the skin in the operated area. This is usually temporary but may be permanent.

Delayed healing:
Wound separation or delayed wound healing is possible. Some areas of the wound may not heal normally and may take a long time to heal. It is even possible to have loss of skin. This may require frequent dressing changes or further surgery to remove the non-healed tissue. This complication is most commonly seen with the tummy tuck operation.

Smoking:
Smokers have a much greater risk of skin loss and wound healing complications. To decrease the likelihood of smoke related healing complications; it is recommended that you quit smoking 3 weeks before and after your surgery.

Unsatisfactory result:
There is the possibility of a poor result from the surgery. You may be disappointed with the final surgical result. There are many things we can do to try and increase your satisfaction. These solutions are specifically designed for you.

Asymmetry:
This factor usually comes into play when two sides of the body are operated on i.e. breasts. Some body asymmetry naturally occurs in most people. This is usually better after surgery but it may persist. Additional surgery may be necessary to correct asymmetry, should you wish such correction.

Pain:
Most procedures are followed by some pain. We have many different medications to try to help you with this. Most patients are very comfortable on these medications and do not need to use them after 2 to 3 days. Please beware as these medications can be quite constipating.

Allergic reactions:
In rare cases, local allergies to tape, suture material, or topical preparations have been reported. Systemic reactions which are more serious may occur to drugs used during surgery and prescription medicines. Allergic reactions may require additional treatment.

Surgical anesthesia:
Both local and general anesthesia involve risk. Complications, injury and even death may occur from all forms of surgical anesthesia or sedation. Please discuss these with the anaesthetist.

Additional Surgery.    up

There are many different conditions that may influence the long-term result of your cosmetic operation. Secondary surgery may be necessary to perform additional tightening or repositioning. Should complications occur, additional surgery or other treatments may be necessary. Even though risks and complications occur infrequently, the risks cited are particularly associated with plastic surgery in general. Other complications and risks can occur but are even more uncommon. The practice of medicine and surgery is not an exact science.

Although good results are expected, it is very difficult to guarantee or warranty the results that may be obtained. The cost of revision surgery may not be covered by the initial fee

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