Preparing for your Surgery
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- Preparing for your Surgery
We strongly urge all our patients to read through these recommendations when planning your surgery and travel arrangements. Should you have any specific queries please do not hesitate to contact us.
Planning Your Journey
Your itinerary – take note of the following:
You should plan to arrive in Cape Town at least 2 days prior to your intended surgery. To facilitate adequate recuperation and a comfortable return journey we recommend you remain in Cape Town between 1 – 3 weeks after surgery (see below). The suggested duration of your stay should be confirmed with us prior to making you flight reservations, here are our suggestions:
Eyelids and Liposuction: 7 – 10 days
Breast Surgery: 10 – 14 days
Facelift: 2 weeks
Abdominoplasty: 2 – 3 weeks
General Pre-operative Instructions:
Ensure you have informed Dr Nerina Wilkinson of
- Medical problems (consult your GP or a specialist where indicated)
- Allergies
- Medications/supplements/homeopathic treatments
Avoid
- Medications at least 2 weeks before surgery
- Anti-inflammatories (Voltaren, Brufen, Vioxx, Norflex)
- Asprin or Asprin-containing medication (common in cold & flu medication)
- Homeopathic or herbal remedies (arnica, garlic, wine, omega 3)
- Smoking – please note that some procedures (e.g. facelift, abdominoplasty, breast reduction) may not be performed at all in smokers. In these cases, a month abstinence prior to and after surgery is mandatory.
Informed Consent
At your pre-operative consultation ensure that all your questions are answered and that you are confident that you understand your procedure, the risks and the likely
post-operative course. The better prepared you are, the easier it will be.
You should be clear on the outcome, duration of recovery, side effects and risks. If not, ask!
Preparation
Ensure that you have prepared your home and your family to ease your first few days of recovery, i.e. Food, transport, entertainment. REMEMBER: we do have a more structured post-operative care plan available (accommodation, transfers, nursing, supervision, postoperative treatments, etc); you would, however, need to make arrangements with our highly trained post-operative care team prior to surgery. You will find more information regarding our highly recommended post-operative care facility details, here.
Day Of Your Surgery:
- After any sedation procedure you may not drive for 24 hrs – please arrange transfers to and from the Renaissance
- Ensure you are aware of your admission time.
- If you are having procedures under general anaesthetic or deep intravenous sedation, you may not have anything to eat or drink for 6 – 8hrs prior to surgery.
- Wash yourself with the medicated soap or betadine wash provided.
- Avoid applying any make-up.
More About
The Recovery Process
Where do I go – Post Surgery Accommodation
