You should be fasting on the day of your planned procedure

Do not eat anything for at least 6 hours before your planned anesthetic. Milk (either in tea or coffee or simply a glass of milk) is not permitted, neither is formula feeds for babies, as it forms a solid in your stomach.

• As a rule of thumb, you may have dinner the night preceding your surgery, but nothing to eat or drink from the morning when you wake up.

The following pertains specifically to young children (two years or younger)

• Your baby is permitted clear fluids (eg water, apple or grape juice, tea without milk) up until 2 hours before the anesthetic.
• Breastfed babies may still have a feed up to 4 hours before the anesthetic. This is only true for breastmilk. Formula milk, cow’s milk or any other baby feeds should still be stopped at least 6 hours prior to the anesthetic

Medications

Generally, you should still take your usual chronic medications on the morning of surgery, except for the medicine listed below:

• Antiplatelet therapy (eg Disprin / Asprin / Plavix) or anticoagulation therapy (eg Warfarin / Xeralto) will need to be stopped prior to surgery. Conditions requiring this therapy include problematic heart valves, abnormal heart rhythm, coronary stent, pulmonary embolism, previous DVT. Special instruction regarding how and when to stop this medication is required, so please discuss this with Dr Van Straten.
• Do not take your diabetic tablets or Insulin on the morning of surgery.
• An ACE inhibitor (eg Enalapril / Perindopril / Prexum / Prexum Plus) which may be part of therapy to control high blood pressure, should not be taken on the day of surgery. Other blood pressure medication should be taken as

After the operation

You will still experience the after-effects of a general anesthetic up to +- 24hours following the procedure. This includes sleepiness, grogginess and possibly mild confusion or temporary peri-operative memory loss.

Please plan for a friend or family member to pick you up at the hospital after the surgery, as driving a vehicle is not permitted for 24hours following a general anaesthetic.

Infections prior to the planned surgery

ENT related infections, especially in children are fairly common. Likely, this is part of the reason why your child is booked to have his / her procedure.  Not all infections will necessitate delaying the planned surgery. Please contact Dr Van Straten to discuss this if you become ill prior to surgery.

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