Preparation for surgery

What can I do to prepare for surgery?

Medications

If you are currently on aspirin, please take aspirin up to the time of surgery, unless your surgeon tells you not to take it. Do not take extra doses of aspirin. Some medications may increase the risk of bleeding during procedure and you should stop taking them in time. Your surgeon may want you to stop taking certain medicines that contain aspirin, herbal remedies or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) five to seven days before surgery. If you take any of the following medicines, contact your surgeon to find out if you should stop taking them: – Medications for high blood pressure called ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) Inhibitors (eg Lisinopril, Captopril, Enalapril, Ramipril, Trandalapril, Ampril). – Medications for elevated blood pressure ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers) such as Cozaar [Losartan] or Diovan [Valsartan]. – Blood diluents such as Coumadin (Warfarin), Lovenox, Plavix, Fragmin, Pradaxa (dabigatran). If you have any questions about medicines that will be continued or stopped before the surgery, call your surgeon or cardiologist. Please take all the medications you take regularly with you to hospital on the day of your admission so you can continue taking them when instructed so.

Excessive body weight

Weight loss, if you have excess weight, will help recovery process. It will be easier for you to move and you will feel less fatigued.If you are a candidate for the cardiac surgery, it is necessary to take probiotics (such as ProLife, Linex) 7 days before the surgery, to regulate the amount of intestinal germs. It is instructive to measure body weight on a daily basis 15 days before surgery. An increase in body weight greater than 2kg in 24 hours is caused by water retention in the body so it may be necessary, after the consultation with your physician, to increase the dose of diuretic medication you take.

Teeth, mouth cavities and nose care

Blood preparations

Anemia, or malnutrition, is normal after surgery. Your heart will work faster to meet the needs of your body – that will make you tired.We always try to preserve blood during surgery; however, you may need to receive a blood transfusion during hospitalization. You can organize donating your own blood through the Red Cross a few weeks before the procedure. This is known as “directed donation”. If you want to do so, inform the staff as soon as possible to make arrangements with your blood bank.

Smoking

It is extremely important that you QUIT SMOKING as soon as possible. People who smoke will have bigger mucus accumulations in their lungs, which is difficult to remove after surgery and may slow down recovery and contribute to the development of lung inflammation after surgery. Patients who smoke may require additional respiratory treatments after surgery.

Diabetes mellitus

If you have diabetes, you must be careful to monitor and control your blood sugar levels regularly. Adequate diabetes control will help you recover faster after the surgery. We recommend taking 2 grams of vitamin C daily, 7 days prior to surgery, and continue doing so for 2 months after surgery.

Physical Activity

Try to preserve the level of activity as much as possible. Regular exercise (at least taking short walks) will greatly help post-operative recovery. We especially recommend breathing exercises in the way of taking deep breaths through your nose and then exhaling through your mouth. Do this 5 times every 1 to 2 hours.

Nutrition

Your daily meals 15 days before surgery should be caloric, easily digestible, rich in proteins, fiber, calcium and vitamins. In addition to meat, we recommend mixing 3 to 4 boiled egg-whites with some heavy cream for breakfast. As for dairy products, we recommend skimmed milk and non-fat cheeses. Also, do not skip the fruit.