Before Surgery: Admission and Preparation
On the morning of your operation, the surgical team begins by reviewing your medical records one final time to confirm that every necessary detail is in order. Your surgeon will visit you personally before the procedure. If your surgery involves a specific side of the body, such as a left-sided hernia, the correct side will be marked with your initials using a surgical marker at a location away from the incision site. While this might seem like a small gesture, it is part of a robust safety system designed to prevent wrong-site surgery.
After the surgeon’s visit, you will change into a surgical gown and remove all jewelry, accessories, and prosthetics including dentures, hearing aids, and contact lenses. A nurse may offer you a mild sedative to help you feel calm and relaxed. When all preparations are complete, you will be escorted to the operating room on your hospital bed.
In the Operating Room
Once you enter the operating room, you may notice that different team members ask you the same questions you have already answered. Do not be alarmed by this. It is a deliberate part of the safety protocol, designed to catch any discrepancy before it can become a problem. Before the procedure begins, the team conducts a formal time-out during which they verbally confirm your identity, the planned procedure, and the surgical site. Every person in the room pauses and agrees before a single instrument is picked up.
Once you are positioned on the operating table, the anesthesia process begins. Depending on your procedure, you may receive general anesthesia, which puts you fully to sleep, or regional anesthesia such as a spinal or epidural block that numbs a specific area while you remain awake. If general anesthesia is used, the medication is given through your intravenous line, and once you are asleep, a breathing tube is placed to support your breathing throughout the operation. You will not feel or remember anything during this time.
After the Operation
When the surgery is complete, you will be moved to a recovery area where specially trained nurses monitor your vital signs as the anesthetic gradually wears off. Pain management begins immediately, and the surgical team will update you or your family on how the procedure went. Most patients are surprised by how structured and reassuring the entire process feels once they have been through it. Understanding what happens each step of the way helps reduce fear of the unknown, and that is one of the most important things you can do to prepare yourself for surgery.
For more information about preparing for surgery, see our guide on preoperative patient preparation. If you have specific questions about your procedure, contact our team.
