Preparing for Surgery
Center for Perioperative Care
Mass General Wang 3
55 Fruit Street
Boston,
MA
02114
Phone: 617-726-8588
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What to Expect for Surgery at Mass General
Watch this video to learn more about how to prepare for surgery and what to expect before, during, and after surgery.
One Week Before Your Surgery or Procedure
We encourage you to set up your personal Mass General Brigham Patient Gateway account, if you do not already have one.
Prior to your scheduled surgery or procedure date, you will have a phone call with a Center for Perioperative Care (CPC) nurse to review your medical history. Please complete the medical history form sent to your Mass General Brigham Patient Gateway account before this phone call, indicating any new medical problems. The phone call will take about 30 minutes. During the call, the CPC nurse will review and confirm:
- Your medical history
- Any allergies (medication, food, etc.)
- Your current medications and dosages
If you are currently taking any blood thinning medications, including aspirin, please contact your surgeon’s office at least one week prior to your surgery or procedure date for instructions.
Three Days Before your Surgery or Procedure
Please take the following steps three days prior to your surgery or procedure:
- Arrange for a responsible individual to take you home if you will be going home on the day of surgery. You will not be able to leave the hospital by yourself.
One Day Before Your Surgery or Procedure
After 10 pm on the day before your surgery or procedure:
- Do not eat any solid foods or dairy products
- Do not chew gum or eat candy
- Stop all tube feedings
While awake, you may drink one to two tall glasses of the following clear liquids every two hours:
- Apple juice
- ClearFast
- Coffee without any milk, cream or non-dairy creamer
- Cranberry juice
- Gatorade
- Grape juice
- Pedialyte
- Powerade
- Soda (regular or diet)
- Tea without any milk, cream or non-dairy creamer
- Water
If your surgeon has instructed you to follow the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol, please find it here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I have an opportunity to talk with an anesthesiologist?
On the day of your surgery, you will meet with the anesthesia team who will be with you in the operating room throughout the surgery. They will have already reviewed your medical history in full, and will be happy to answer your questions and provide information about the appropriate anesthetic for your surgery.
If I have questions about my surgery ahead of my appointment, who should I call?
Please call your surgeon’s office with any questions.
Can I take a taxi or other ride service (Uber, Lyft, etc.) home on the day of surgery?
Because you will have received anesthesia, you may not go home alone in a taxi or ride service. You may take one only if you have a responsible individual accompanying you who will make sure you safely get into your home.
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The expert team at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center for Perioperative Care (CPC) provides every patient with all of the necessary information to ensure a stress-free and comfortable care experience.