Preoperative expectations
We will discuss location of surgery: Kuakini, Queens (downtown/west), or Honolulu Spine Center
You will receive preoperative medications that you should bring with you on the day of surgery
We will give you prescriptions for braces/cooling sleeves/crutches
Operative day
Its normal to be nervous; and you will have a great team working with you today. You will meet the anesthesiologist, and operating room nurses. I do work with orthopedic residents, and you may meet them too.
After surgery, I won’t have a chance to talk with you, as you won’t remember much with the general anesthetic medications; but I will speak with your family. When you come back for your postoperative appointment, I will go through everything I did with you.
After Surgery TIPS
With any surgery, the first three days hurts the most. Give my office a call if the pain medicines don’t work for pain control
For any shoulder surgery, I would recommend sleeping upright in a recliner/sofa/bed with extra pillows for the first week.
Place a cooling/ice bag over the surgical site for swelling and pain control
Dressing/SPLINT care
First step is to keep all dressings/splints clean and dry. Please give our office a call if they get wet. A wet dressing/splint will lead to an infection
If you have a splint, do not remove it. I will remove it at your wound check visit
Dressings can be removed on the third day after surgery. Expect some oozing of bloody fluid after any surgery. Please leave the white strips (steristrips) in place as this holds your wound together.