Have you been scheduled for arthroscopic surgery? You may not be familiar with the term “arthroscopic.” The benefit of arthroscopic surgery is that it’s minimally invasive, so it provides many advantages over traditional open surgery.
Dr. Michael Hood, board-certified orthopedic surgeon with Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, performs arthroscopic surgery to diagnose and treat many musculoskeletal conditions and injuries. You’re in good hands.
Arthroscopy uses the latest surgical methods available to determine the exact cause of your orthopedic complaint and treat it at the same time. Dr. Hood first creates one or more very small incisions and inserts a fiber-optic video camera attached to a tube through the incision.
The video camera shows the damaged area inside your body; Dr. Hood views it on a large video monitor. This way, he sees exactly which bones, tendons, ligaments, muscles, and/or tissues are affected and the extent of the damage. Using small, thin surgical tools, Dr. Hood can often repair joint damage during the procedure.
Preparing for arthroscopic surgery involves several steps. We provide written pre- and post-op instructions for your surgery to guide you through the process. Following is an outline of the basics.
We want to ensure that you don’t have any health concerns that would adversely impact the surgery. You need to see your primary care provider for a pre-op physical exam, which includes blood tests and perhaps a chest X-ray and other tests. Your physician sends the results to our office.
Make sure you list all of your current medications — including supplements and herbs — on our medical history form and the hospital form. You also need to list all allergies, including allergies to medications, on those forms.
If you’ve ever had an adverse reaction to anesthesia, explain your reaction on your medical history forms. We let you know in advance whether you’ll have local, regional, or general anesthesia. Provide our office and the hospital surgical coordinator with a copy of your advance health directive.
Before your surgery, avoid getting a sunburn at the site of your procedure. We ask you to use a special antibacterial soap on your body on the night before and the morning of your surgery. This type of soap helps prevent postsurgical infections.
We provide specific instructions regarding fasting prior to your procedure. We’ll likely ask you not to eat or drink anything after midnight before your surgery. In the morning, you may take your regular medication, which we’ve pre-approved, with a sip of water.
Your procedure takes place at a surgical center or a hospital. It’s best to overestimate the amount of time it takes to make the trip. Take into account heavy traffic or a possible accident on the road that causes a delay.
Forgo the jeans and wear loose clothing to the surgical center or hospital. Make it easy to put on your clothes when you go home.
You won’t be able to drive home. Make sure your designated driver is able to take you home, and have a backup person available in case the person you’ve selected has an emergency.
If your surgery is on an area of your body that is going to temporarily disable you, such as a hip, leg, foot, hand, or arm, prepare your home in advance. Remove tripping hazards like scatter rugs. If you won’t be able to cook or need help dressing and bathing, ensure you have the help you need.
Using these pre-op tips helps to ensure a seamless experience that puts you on the road to recovery. Call Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine or book an appointment through our online portal today if you need arthroscopic surgery. For your convenience, we have offices in West Memphis, Arkansas, and Collierville, Tennessee.
