Please see the list of forms “here” (link to Pre-op page) on the Pre-Op page of our website that are available for download and completion before your arrival. We will also have them available at the office, if you have not or cannot download them beforehand.
We accept most major insurance plans. But due to the complexity of the available plans and changing environments, please call if you have any questions so that we can ensure we accept your particular plan.
We take care of patients at a variety of facilities. If an inpatient hospital stay is required, we provide services at either Texas Health Resources (THR) Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth or Baylor Scott & White (BSW) All Saints Hospital. For outpatient surgery, we provide services at Park Hill Surgery Center, Baylor Surgical Hospital, Fort Worth Surgery Center, Harris Outpatient Surgery Center, and outpatient services at THR Harris Methodist Hospital and BSW All Saints Hospital.
We recommend using the Harris Center parking garage. Access the parking garage by taking Pennsylvania Avenue to Sixth Avenue, turn south onto Sixth Avenue, go one block to Pruitt Street and turn left. Harris Center parking garage is on the left side at the end of block. Take the garage elevator to Ground Floor and you will be in our building lobby. The elevators to our office are across the lobby.
Day of surgery: Arrive 2 hours prior to surgery and check in at Hospital main registration in the Richardson Pavilion, directly across drive, south of our building
Pre-op visit: Check in at main registration (as above) 30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment. It is not necessary to be fasting for this appointment
Parking: Parking for surgery and pre-op is available in the Harris Center parking garage (see directions above)
For Park Hill Surgery Center, Baylor Surgical Hospital, Harris Outpatient Surgery Center and Fort Worth Surgery Center:
Day of surgery: arrive 1.5 hours prior to surgery and check in at the facility's front desk
Pre-op visit: facility will contact patient to schedule time for pre-op
Parking: Park Hill Surgery Center, Baylor Surgical Hospital and Fort Worth Surgery Center all have flat parking lots adjacent to facilities. Harris Outpatient Surgery Center is located in the Ben Hogan Tower on Harris Hospital campus and has a 2 level parking garage directly across street from the main entrance on Fifth Avenue
Unless otherwise directed, you should not eat or drink after midnight before your scheduled surgery, except to take your scheduled medications with a sip of water.
Unless otherwise instructed, you should plan to take your usual medications on the day of surgery. There are occasionally medications that your anesthesiologist will ask you to hold on the day of surgery. This will be addressed in your pre-anesthesia assessment visit. In general, you will NOT take any blood thinners or anti-platelet medications.
Your surgeon will discuss the plan for stopping your blood thinners, if indicated, before surgery. Sometimes you can simply stop your medication for a designated number of days before surgery. Sometimes you should also take a bridging medication until the day of your surgery.
Your surgeon will discuss the plan for stopping your platelet inhibitor before surgery. In general, you should stop taking the medication one week before surgery.
Both in the hospital and after going home, we emphasize a multimodality approach to pain management. You will generally receive a local anesthetic during your procedure to help in the first few hours after surgery. For pain medications, you may be prescribed anti-inflammatory medications and narcotic medications as needed to control your pain. Much of your postoperative pain will be inflammatory in nature. So, anti-inflammatory medications are helpful to improve the source of your pain. Narcotics are helpful to reduce the sending of pain messages to your brain and thus reduce the feelings of pain. Depending on your unique medical conditions, certain types of anti-inflammatory medications may not be appropriate for you. Your surgeon will discuss this with you. Narcotics come with side effects, one of which is constipation. This constipation can become debilitating, so limiting narcotic use as able is helpful for your recovery.
Your surgeon will discuss your particular case with you. In general, if glue has been applied as a dressing to your incisions, you may shower with soap and water the day after surgery. Please refrain from bathing or swimming for at least one week after surgery. If other types of dressings are used or you have staples in your incision, your surgeon will discuss your incision care. Generally, you should keep the incision clean and dry for at least two days. After that, you may shower with soap and water.
General warning signs to notify your surgeon include: fever, redness or drainage from wounds, or worsening pain. Depending on your specific operation, there may be additional warning signs and your surgeon will discuss this with you. And, of course, if you have any concerns, please call.
Try to limit any narcotic intake. Please remember that the goal of postoperative management is tolerable pain, not the complete absence of pain. If you are taking any narcotic medications, please take a stool softener to ensure at least one non-strained bowel movement per day. Possible over-the-counter stool softener options include: miralax, dulcolax, colace, milk of magnesia, etc.
You will receive instruction in drain care from the nursing staff before your discharge. Keep the drain site clean and dry. Empty your drain bulb at least once per day, and as needed if it fills up. Measure the output each time you empty the drain bulb and record the amount. Though individual cases may vary, we generally look to have less than 30-40 ml per day before removing the drain. There are instances where the drain can be removed sooner or need to stay in longer. Your surgeon will discuss this decision with you.
This will depend on the extent of your operation and your surgeon will discuss this with you. In general, you may return to work when your pain and function have improved to the point you feel you can safely perform your job. For most operations, you should plan to be limited to non-strenuous activity (light duty, no lifting greater than 15-20 lbs) for 2-4 weeks, depending on your operation.
