You may be a fan of TV emergency room shows and hospital dramas, but these shows might just make you more nervous about what happens in the operating room. Millions of teens are wheeled into operating rooms (ORs) each year, and it can help to find out what to expect before you get to the hospital.
Depending on your medical problem, you may have inpatient surgery or outpatient surgery (also called ambulatory surgery). Inpatient surgery usually requires that you stay in the hospital for a day or more so the doctors and nurses can monitor your recovery carefully. If you have outpatient surgery, you may not even have to go to hospital — this type of surgery is often performed in a doctor's office or an outpatient surgery clinic and you can go home afterward.
What to Expect
When you arrive at the hospital, a nurse or other hospital employee will begin the admissions process by asking questions about your medical history, including any allergies you might have and any symptoms or pain you may be having. Girls may be asked if there is any chance of being pregnant. Nurses may also take your vital signs like your heart rate, temperature, and blood pressure.
During the admissions process, you'll be given an identification bracelet — a paper tape to wear around your wrist. You'll also be asked about the time you last ate or drank anything. This question may seem strange, but it's actually very important to your safety. Having food or liquids in your system can interfere with some medical procedures and may make you feel sick or even lead to harmful complications.
You may need to have other tests, like x-rays and blood tests, before your surgery begins.
Before Surgery
Before your operation takes place, you and your family will have a chance to meet with the anesthesiologist — the doctor who specializes in giving anesthetics, the medications that will help you fall asleep or numb an area of your body so you don't feel the surgery. The anesthesiologist will have your medical information so he or she can give you the amount of anesthetic you need for your age, height, and weight.
There are several types of anesthesia. General anesthesia causes you to become completely unconscious during the operation. If you're having general anesthesia, the anesthesiologist will be present during the entire operation to monitor your anesthetic and ensure you constantly receive the right dose.
If surgery is done under local anesthesia, you'll be given an anesthetic that numbs only the area of your body to be operated on. You may be given a medication that makes you drowsy during the procedure. (If you're having outpatient surgery in a clinic or doctor's office, this is probably the type of anesthetic you'll get.)
Before your operation, the medical staff will clean (and shave, if necessary) the area of your body that will be operated on. You'll be asked to take off any jewelry, including barrettes and hair ties, and you'll need to take out contact lenses if you wear them. You'll be given a surgical gown to wear during the operation.
A nurse or doctor may put a small, plastic tube in your arm and attach it to an IV line. This line will probably be used to give you anesthetic (if you're having general anesthesia) or provide you with fluids or medicine that may be needed during the operation.
As you're wheeled into a hospital operating room, you may notice that the nurses and doctors are wearing face masks and plastic eyeglasses, as well as paper caps, gowns, and booties over their shoes. Patients are vulnerable to infection during an operation, so this protective gear prevents germs and dirt from entering the operating room. The hospital staff wears all that protective gear to protect you against germs and dirt.
You might also wear some monitoring equipment — sticker-like patches that attach to your skin — in the operating room to help doctors and nurses keep an eye on your heart rate and blood pressure.
Sometimes medical and nursing students observe surgeries, so don't be surprised if doctors and nurses aren't the only people in the room.
After Surgery
After your surgery is over, you'll be taken to the recovery room, where nurses will monitor your condition very closely for a few hours. Sometimes this room is also called the post-op (postoperative) room or PACU (post-anesthesia care unit). Your parent should be able to visit you here. Every person has a different surgical experience, but if you've had general anesthesia, it's common to feel groggy, confused, chilly, nauseated, or even sad when you wake up.
Once your anesthesia has worn off and you're fully awake, you'll be taken to a regular hospital room if you're staying overnight. If you're having an outpatient procedure, you'll be monitored by nurses and doctors in another room until you're able to go home.
If you feel pain after the surgery, the doctors and nurses will make sure you have pain relievers to keep you more comfortable. You may also need to take other medications, such as antibiotics to prevent infection.
Making Surgery Less Stressful
The thought of having surgery can be scary. If you're worried, try these tips to help feel more at ease:
- Ask questions. Your surgeon, anesthesiologist, and nurses will be able to answer your questions about the surgery, how you'll feel afterward, how long it will take to return to your normal activities, and whether you'll have any scarring. Don't feel embarrassed about asking lots of questions — the more informed you are, the more comfortable you'll feel about having surgery.
- Be sure you're clear on instructions — and ask if you're not. Your doctor or a nurse will give you instructions on what to do before the surgery (called preoperative instructions) and what you can and can't do afterward (postoperative instructions). For example, your doctor may tell you to stop taking certain medications for a set period of time before surgery. (You should let your doctor know weeks in advance if you are taking any herbal or other non-prescription medications as your medical team may instruct you to stop taking them.) And follow your doctor's orders regarding eating before surgery. After surgery, your exercise and activities may be restricted for a while.
- Practice healthy habits. Smoking is never a good idea, but it's especially bad news after surgery when your body is trying to recover. Ditch the cigarettes, get plenty of rest, and eat nutritious foods.
- Try relaxation techniques. If you're nervous or anxious, taking a few slow, deep breaths or focusing on an object in the room can help you to tune out stressful thoughts and cope with your anxiety. Think of your favorite place and what you like to do there.
- Plan ahead. If you have to miss school because of surgery, talk to your teachers ahead of time and arrange to make up any tests or assignments. Get a friend you trust to take notes for you and drop off homework assignments. By planning ahead, you won't have to spend your recovery time stressing about your grades.
- Tell a few people. If you don't feel like sharing the details of your operation, you don't have to — but telling some friends that you'll be out of school for a few days might ensure you'll have some visitors! Your friends might even have some surgery stories of their own to share.
- Pack a few favorites. After you're out of the recovery room, you might want the comfort that some favorite CDs, iTunes, books, magazines, or a journal can bring, so make sure that when you're packing your hospital bag you throw in a few goodies.
Reviewed by: Kate M. Cronan, MD
Date reviewed: April 2007
