A staff member from the office will call you 24 hours prior to your appointment to confirm the time of your procedure.
If you are scheduled to arrive at 6.00am please ensure you allow for traffic conditions, rain etc and arrive punctually at 6.00am.
Please note that for morning procedures, you must be nil by mouth from midnight the night before, although you should take your normal medications with a mouthful of water.
If you have an afternoon procedure you may have a light, early breakfast but no coffee.
Please note that if you have a cold sore on your face your procedure will need to be cancelled.
You will remain drowsy for up to 24 hours following the procedure. For this reason, you must arrange an adult to care for you during this period.
We also ask that you do the following:
1. Due to the sedation, you will legally not be able to drive for 24 hours. Please arrange for transportation home after your procedure and for transportation back to the surgery the next day for your check up. The person who you arrange for this must be nominated with their contact details at the end of this form. This must be an adult that you know and cannot be an Uber or taxi driver.
2. If you live alone and are unable to arrange a carer for the 24 hours following surgery, we can recommend that you contact Right At Home – In home care and assistance.
Phone: 1300 362 609 1300 363 192 0478750192
www.rightathomeaustralia.com.au
3. Furthermore, you should also not operate machinery or sign any important documents in the 24 hours following surgery. Also avoid being in a situation where you will need to negotiate stairs or an unfamiliar environment.
4. Avoid aspirin, aspirin-containing or aspirin-like medications (eg: arthritis medicines, some cold and flu remedies, Nurofen or Ibuprofen), Vitamin E, (or multi vitamins that contain Vitamin E) fish oil, glucosamine supplements, gingko biloba, ginseng, valerian, black cohosh and chondroitin sulphate, These have been known to thin the blood and prolong bleeding. Avoid these for 2 weeks before surgery.
5. If you use prescription “blood thinners” such as Warfarin, be sure to discuss this with your doctor well in advance of your surgery.
6. Apart from those items listed above, continue using all of your regular medications in their normal dosages. Be sure to discuss this with your doctor.
7. Try to minimize smoking in the two weeks prior to surgery.
8. Avoid alcohol for two weeks prior to your surgery and for three weeks following your surgery. This also acts to thin the blood and prolong bruising.
9. Remove all nail polish prior to surgery.
10. Supplies that may be handy in the immediate post-op period:
· Ice cubes, ice packs or packs of frozen peas
· Several clean washcloths or “Chux” type cloths
· A small supply of sterile gauze pads
· Paracetamol
· phisohex or chlorhexidine lotion (available from the pharmacy)
11. In addition, you will be sent a prescription for antibiotics and antibiotic ointment. Please also purchase arnica spray or tablets from a pharmacist or health food store and use under the tongue 4 puffs or tablets 3 times daily commencing 2 weeks prior to the procedure.
This helps minimise bruising.
ON THE MORNING OF SURGERY
· Shower and shampoo with the phisohex lotion. Wash your eyebrows and thoroughly remove all cosmetics. Do not reapply cosmetics to your eyelids or face.
· Do not wear jewellery, wristwatches, hairpieces, false eyelashes, or contact lenses. Do not bring articles of value with you. Wear loose-fitting comfortable clothes. Avoid tight collars or belts.
· If you use prescription medicine or eye drops on a regular basis, take your regular dose on the morning of surgery. This is especially important with blood pressure medicines.
– BRING ALL YOUR MEDICATIONS TO THE SURGERY
THE OPERATION FROM THE PATIENT’S PERSPECTIVE
Following signing of the surgical consent form, you will be taken to a room to be prepared for surgery.
While the nursing staff should already have a copy of your medical history and physical examination from your doctor, be sure to discuss any special or unusual medical requirements or concerns with the staff, including allergies to medications, problems with abnormal bleeding, or asthmatic reactions.
You will be asked to put on a surgical gown and then a small intravenous cannula will be inserted into your hand. All your particulars will be double checked by the nurse.
You will then be moved into the operating room and monitoring equipment will be attached to you. You will be given some sedation into the cannula in your hand to help you relax and drift off.
After the procedure, you will have a bandage around your forehead. You can remove this after 4 hours.
ON THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING OF SURGERY
You should rest as much as possible. A bandage over the eyes is not necessary. In the evening, you may have a bath if someone is there to help you. Watching television is acceptable.
A frozen gel pack or a bag of frozen peas may be placed over the forehead. This is helpful on and off for 48 hours after surgery. (15 minutes every hour for the first day, and then 4 times a day for the following two days)
If your stomach is not upset, you may resume your normal diet immediately.
Discomfort or pain will occur, post procedure. In this instance, Panadeine Forte (for strong pain) can be taken every 6 hours. Alternatively, Mersyndol (for mild pain) can be taken every 6 hours. Do not take both together as both preparations contain paracetamol. Also, do not take these medications closer together than every 6 hours because excessive paracetamol is dangerous. The maximum combined dose of these 2 tablets in 24 hours is 8. ie: if you have taken 4 Panadeine Forte in 24 hours you can only take 4 Mersyndol in 24 hours. Please follow these instructions carefully.
BEGINNING THE NEXT MORNING
Swelling usually reaches its maximum on the morning after surgery. Bruising may increase for one or two days.
Moderate activity may be resumed, although bending and straining should be avoided for at least three days. Moderate exercise (easy walking) may be resumed in about three days. Avoid vigorous exercise (jogging) for 7 days or more and swimming for 2 weeks.
If you are still nauseous from the operation let us know. Also tell us if you are not keeping down fluids or only passing small amounts of urine.
In this case we may need to give you some intravenous fluids.
LATER INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION
After the bandage is removed you can then wash your hair with phisohex lotion and apply the antibiotic ointment twice daily to the wound
The sutures are usually dissolving and don’t need to be removed but staples are removed at 7 days if they have been used.
Swelling and bruising are usually worst on the second or third day, after which improvement is rapid. Most bruising and swelling is gone in 4-7 days, although some might remain behind for longer. Massage helps to accelerate healing of the underlying tissue and should begin from seven days after the procedure.
The incision may turn red, elevated, or bumpy in the weeks after surgery. The scar will then continue to fade and soften for about six months or more.
The incision may feel slightly tender for a few months. Itching is common. Any tight feeling will disappear over several months.
Do not try to evaluate the success of your surgery during early recovery. Allow a few weeks for things to settle down.
Most patients feel comfortable about facing the general public again in about 7 to 10 days.
Please write the arrangements you have made for someone to drive you home following the procedure:
Dr. M Szalay 