Preparing for Surgery
The surgery department at the Medical Center of South Arkansas has eight surgical suites, two of which are specifically for cardiac surgery. Diagnostic tests and lab work may be requested by the surgeon or anesthesia staff, so to avoid delays or cancellation of your procedure, have any screenings done prior to day of surgery. It's recommended to pre-admit, so the safest and most efficient care possible can be offered.
For more information on how to pre-register and how to fully prepare, click here.
The screening could take an hour or two, and you will be asked to provide:
- A health history
- Depending on history, an EKG, lab work or chest X-ray
- Signatures for surgical and anesthesia consent
- A list of all medications and supplements for review
- A list of any past surgeries
- Any allergies to medications, foods, dyes, etc.
- A copy of reports from any diagnostic tests or procedures such as heart catheterization or cardiac evaluations
- A copy of any of the following tests from the previous 6-12 months:
- EKG
- Chest X-ray
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Basic metabolic profile (BMP)
- Clotting tests (PT, PTTP)
The records mentioned above can usually be obtained through the medical records department of the facility where the procedure was done.
If you are taking any medication that could affect blood clotting, talk to your doctor about stopping these, and which other medications should be stopped or continued. Do not make any of these decisions without talking to your provider. If between scheduling the surgery and the date of the surgery, you start running a fever or develop a cold, cough or congestion and think you may be sick, please notify your surgeon, as it could need to result in a postponement of the procedure.
Helpful resources:
For more information, please call: (870) 864-3533
To speak to a One Day Surgery nurse, please call: (870) 864-3336