These are general instructions for patients who are undergoing surgery. More detailed instructions will be given to you at your preoperative work up, which must be accomplished within 30 days prior to your surgery.

• In most cases you will not be able to eat or drink after midnight on the day of your surgery.
• Aspirin products (includes BC or Goody powders), coumadin, warfarin, or clopidogrel (Plavix) cause thinning of the blood and can cause excess bleeding. If you are on any of them, please advise the doctor, as well as the health care workers in the preoperative area, to determine if these will need to be discontinued in the week before surgery.
• Wear light and comfortable clothing, and leave your valuables at home. Please be advised that the specific time of your surgery is not determined until the day before. If for any reason you have a specific request regarding time of your surgery (e.g. travel time from a far distance), please mention this at the time you schedule your surgery. You will be called the afternoon or evening before your surgery to advise you of what time you should arrive for your surgery.
• Arrange for someone to drive you home unless you are scheduled for overnight observation.