About Your Appointment

Your OSF Orthopedics care team strives to answer all of your questions and ensure you understand every aspect of your treatment.

If your condition is serious or if you are confused about any aspect of your care plan, we recommend that you bring someone with you to all of your appointments.

It can be difficult to comprehend all of the information you will be receiving, or you may forget to ask certain questions.

A family member or trusted friend can take notes and review your questions.

Preparing for Surgery

  • Wear loose-fitting clothing.
  • Leave all jewelry and valuables at home.
  • You must have a responsible escort to accompany you home if you have sedation or an anesthetic. It would be best if you made arrangements for someone to be with you for the first 24 hours after an operation.
  • If you are a smoker, it is best to quit before any surgery (preferably at least one month before your scheduled surgery).
  • If anything prevents you from keeping your appointment, such as a cold, cough, fever or infection, inform our office promptly.
  • There may be diet restrictions before surgery. You will receive instructions for what to do at the time of your evaluation in the surgical office.
  • If you need to take medications regularly, be sure to discuss with your surgeon what you should do.
  • Do not wear lipstick, fingernail polish, mascara or contact lenses.
  • Remove ALL rings and jewelry before coming to the hospital on the day of surgery to avoid complications from the operation or intravenous lines.

Tests

Which tests you may require will be influenced by your surgical problem, the planned operation, and any medical conditions that may affect the outcome.

  • Sometimes it may not be necessary to have any tests.
  • It is usually necessary to undergo blood and urine tests.
  • If your medical condition warrants, you may have an examination of your heart (EKG) and your lungs (chest X-ray).  Should other tests be required, they will be explained to you.

What to Bring

  • Insurance card(s).
  • Photo identification.
  • Any orders or prescriptions your provider gave you.
  • List of current medications/supplements and the dose you are taking, or bring your medicine bottles with you.
  • A list of questions.

What to Wear

To improve your comfort following surgery, we recommend the following (applicable for all ages and genders):

Hip & Knee Surgeries

  • Shorts, sweatpants or pants with an elastic waist that are loose fitting, preferably one size larger than you typically wear

Shoulder Surgery

  • A shirt that buttons up the front and is one or two sizes bigger than you usually wear
  • No pullover shirts or hoodies
  • Slip-on shoes or slippers, as you will only have one hand with which to fasten them

Foot and Ankle Surgery

  • Loose fitting shoes and socks

Carpal Tunnel Surgery

  • Loose and baggy shirt with short sleeves and a loose jacket or coat, as needed
  • Sweatpants or pants with an elastic band at the waist, as you will not be able to use both hands to button or snap clothes
  • Slip-on shoes or slippers, as you will only have one hand with which to fasten them

For the Trip Home

  • Two pillows for you or your family member or friend's comfort
  • One to two blankets for you or your family member or friend's comfort
  • Container (such as a small wastebasket or bucket) in case you or your family member or friend feels sick

Recovery

After surgery, you will be taken to the recovery room for observation, where the circulation and sensation of the area will be monitored. Once your blood pressure, pulse and breathing are stable, and you are alert, you will be taken to your hospital room or discharged to your home.

Your condition may require you to wear an immobilizer, cast, brace or sling.

Once you are home, it is essential to keep the surgical area clean and dry. Your doctor will give you specific bathing instructions. The stitches or surgical staples will be removed during a follow-up visit.

To help reduce swelling, you may need to apply an ice bag several times per day for the first few days. You should keep the sling or immobilizer on as directed by your doctor.

Your doctor will arrange for an exercise program with a rehabilitation therapist to help you regain muscle strength, flexibility and function to the affected area.

Follow-Up

Arrangements for a follow-up appointment with our team will be made at discharge.