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PREPARING FOR YOUR PROCEDURE

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Important factors for successful surgery is gaining an understanding of your entire surgical process. It is encouraged that you ask your doctors and nurses questions about: the surgery; your diet prior to surgery; the process of being admitted to the hospital (if applicable); the type of anesthesia you may need; your medical history; your home medication regimen; insurance coverage; and legal arrangements.

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These are some tips to help make your medical procedure as smooth as possible:

  • Contact your insurance carrier to find out what your coverage is that they provide for the medical procedure.

  • Ask your insurance carrier if they provide any wellness benefits that may entitle you to discounted nutritional care and other rehabilitation services after discharge.

  • Advise your surgeon of any medical conditions you have, and any medications you take at home on a regular basis. Some medications may need to be temporarily stopped in advance. Be sure to mention all herbal supplements as well as over-the-counter medications, they may impact your medical procedure as well.

  • Talk with your surgeon about any anesthesia you might be given.

  • If your surgeon determines it necessary, you will need to be medically assessed for surgery by your primary care physician. This may include the completion of several types of tests - blood tests, an ECG, a chest x-ray, and/or pulmonary function tests depending on your physician’s orders.

  • Eat foods rich in iron to help boost your circulatory system and blood counts prior to surgery (green leafy vegetables, lean red meats, etc.) up until 12 hours before your procedure.

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Colonoscopy

GLYCOLAX/GATORADE PREPARATION

In preparation for your procedure, two things need to be purchased at your local pharmacy.  You will be given the following:
    a. Four Dulcolax 5mg tablets
    b. Glycolax 255 gram bottle

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ONE DAY BEFORE THE PROCEDURE:
    a. Clear liquids only (*see below)
    b. At 5:00 pm take 4 Dulcolax tablets
    c. At 6:00 pm mix the 255 gram bottle of Glycolax in 64 oz of Gatorade (not red or purple).  Shake the solution until the Glycolax is dissolved.  Drink an 8 oz glass every 10-15 minutes until the solution is gone.
    d. Continue drinking clear fluids until bedtime.

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ON THE DAY OF THE PROCEDURE:
   a. Do not eat or drink anything that day.
   b. If you take medication, you may have it on the morning of the procedure with a small amount of water.

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*CLEAR LIQUID DIET - ONLY THESE FOODS ARE ALLOWED:

Soups:  Clear bouillon, broth or consomme

Beverages:   Teas, coffee, decaffeinated tea/coffee, Kool-Aid, (no red or purple), carbonated beverages (no red or purple).  DO NOT put any milk or cream in your tea or coffee.

Juices:  Apple and White grape juice, strained lemonade, limeade, orange drink.  ANY JUICE YOU CAN SEE THROUGH AND HAS NO PULP IS ACCEPTABLE.

Dessert:  Popsicles, Jell-O (no red or purple).

PLEASE ARRANGE FOR TRANSPORTATION HOME.

 

EGD

IMPORTANT PRE-SURGERY INSTRUCTIONS:

  • DO NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING AFTER MIDNIGHT, INCLUDING WATER, THE NIGHT PRIOR TO SURGERY.  No smoking, No gum chewing

  • If you are taking a blood thinner, please contact your health care provider for instructions on taking this medication before your surgery.   This includes aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Mortin) Coumadin (Warfarin) & Plavix.

  • Please bring your insurance card with you to surgery.

  • Arrange to have someone drive you home after surgery.

  • If you are not the biological parent of a minor, the hospital may need legal documentation for care.  Please call the surgery facility to see if this applies to you.

â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª â–ª

Your insurance company will be contacted for surgery approval.  Every effort will be used to confirm insurance verification, but it is in your best interest to check with your insurance company that the PHYSICIAN, SURGERY FACILITY AND ANESTHESIA GROUP are contacting (This will ensure your highest level of benefits).  You will be billed separately for physician, facility, anesthesia and possible pathology/lab.

If you have any insurance questions or if there is a change in insurance, please contact the business office at 620-845-6492.

 

Sterile Epidural

IMPORTANT PRE-PROCEDURE INSTRUCTIONS:

YOU WILL NEED A COMPANION WITH YOU AFTER THE PROCEDURE.  YOU SHOULD NOT DRIVE FOLLOWING THE PROCEDURE.

PLEASE NOTIFY THE SCHEDULER IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO BETADINE (IODINE), LIDOCAINE, CONTRAST DYE, OR LATEX.

PLEASE STOP THESE MEDICATIONS THAT MAY INCREASE BLEEDING RISKS:

  • ALL ASPIRIN PRODUCTS (INCULDING BAYER, ECOTRIN, ALKA SELTZER, BABY OR LOW-DOSE ASPIRIN ETC.) SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO PROCEDURE.

  • NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMATORY (NSAIDs) MEDICATIONS TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE PROCEDURE (ADVIL, MOTRIN, NUPRIN, IBUPROFEN, ALEVE, NAPROCEN, RELAFEN, VOLTAREN, LODINE, MOBIC, ETC.

  • BLOOD THINNERS (COUMADIN, WARFARIN, PLAVIX, TICLID) PLEASE CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR FOR FURTHER INSTRUTIONS ON HOW TO MANAGE THIS.

  • ALL HERBAL MEDICATIONS, SUPPLEMENTS, FISH OIL AND VITAMIN E TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE PROCEDURE.

  • YOU WILL NEED TO STOP METFORMIN (GLUCOPHAGE OR GLUCOVANCE) FOR TWO DAYS AFTER THE PROCEDURE.  ALTHOUGH METEFORMIN DOES NOT INCREASE BLEEDING RISK, IT MAY INTERACT ADVERSLEY WITH THE CONTRAST DYE THAT WE USE.

PLEASE NOTE THAT IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU CONTINUE ALL OTHER PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS (BLOOD PRESSURE, INSULIN, WATER PILL ETC.  AS WELL AS PRESCRIBED PAIN MEDICATIONS NOT KNOWN TO HAVE BLEEDING EFFECTS, SUCH AS ULTRAM, TRAMADOL, VICODIN, HYDROCODONE, AND TYLENOL ACETAMINOPHEN.

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CHECK IN PROCEDURE

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CHECK INTO THE BUSINESS OFFICE TO FILL OUT THE NECESSARY INSURANCE PAPERWORK THEN REPORT TO THE NURSES STATION FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

IF YOU EXPECT DELAYS OR NEED TO CANCEL PLEASE CALL 620-845-6492.

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RISKS AND COMPLICATIONS

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ALL MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS HAVE BENEFITS AND RISKS.  SPINAL INJECTIONS HAVE CERTAIN RISKS AND COMPLICATIONS THAT CAN INCLUDE: SPINAL HEADACHE, INCREASED PAIN, BLEEDING (RARE) INFECTION (RARE) OR NERVE INJURY (RARE).

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PROCEDURE

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THE PROCEDURE IS USUALLY BRIEF, BUT YOUR POSITION DURING THE PROCEDURE IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE INJECTION GO SMOOTHLY, WITH THE LEAST DISCOMFORT TO YOU.

YOUR SKIN WILL BE CLEANED WITH A STERILIZING SOLUTION AND A STERILE DRAP WILL BE PLACED OVER YOUR SKIN.

LOCAL ANESTHETIC (LIDOCAINE) IS USUALLY GIVEN NEAR THE INJECTION SITE TO NUMB THE SKIN.  THIS TYPICALLY FEELS LIKE A PIN PRICK AND SOME BURNING LIKE A BEE STING.

FLUOROSCOPY (XRAY IMAGING) IS USED FOR PRECISE PLACEMENT OF THE INJECTION.  CONTRAST DYE WILL BE INJECTED TO CONFIRM THE CORRECT PLACEMENT OF THE NEEDLE.

A SMALL BANDAGE WILL BE PLACED AT THE INJECTION SITE.

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AFTER THE PROCEDURE

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IN MOST CASES, YOU WILL BE DISCHARGED WITHIN 30 MIN AFTER THE PROCEDURE.

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AFTER DISCHARGE

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YOU MAY APPLY AN ICE PACK, 20 MINUTES AT A TIME TO THE INJECTION SITE IF YOU EXPERIENCE SORENESS.

AVOID GETTING INTO BATHS, HOTTUBS, SWIMMING POOLS, LAKES, PONDS ETC. FOR 48 HOURS AFTER THE INJECTION.  KEEP THE INJECTION SITE CLEAN AND DRY.  YOU MAY REMOVE THE BANDGE ONE DAY FOLLOWING THE INJECTION.

REST IS ENCOURAGED AFTER THE INJECTION, RETURN TO YOUR NORMAL DAILY ACTIVITY 24 HOURS AFTER THE PROCEDURE.

YOU MAY RESUME YOUR ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MEDICATIONS 24 HOURS AFTER THE INJECTION.

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SIDE EFFECTS THAT MAY OCCUR, BUT WILL GO AWAY IN A FEW DAYS ARE:

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  • BRIEFLY INCREASED PAIN

  • TROUBLE SLEEPING

  • FACIAL FLUSHING

  • MILD FLU LIKE SYMPTOMS

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WHEN TO CALL THE DOCTOR * 620-845-6492

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  • SEVERE PAIN

  • SEVERE HEADACHE THAT GETS WORSE WHEN SITTING UP OR STANDING, AND IS BETTER WHEN YOU LIE DOWN.

  • FEVER OR CHILLS

  • LOSS OF BLADDER OR BOWEL CONTROL

  • REDNESS OR SWELLING AROUND THE INJECTION SITE.

COLONOSCOPY
EGD
STERILE EPIDURAL
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