There are dozens of traditional and ambulatory surgery centers in Orange County peppered throughout the area. Many offer modern facilities and seasoned medical teams to insure successful patient surgery. How do the staff and the center provide patient care after surgery has taken place? It all starts with a visit to your local physician. Say that you feel a distinct recurring pain in your elbow. You primary care physician checks it out and determines that you’ve developed a bone spur, which needs to be removed. She then refers you to an ambulatory surgery center close by, like the Crown Valley Outpatient Surgical Center. A staff doctor or surgeon there examines the elbow more carefully, runs an MRI and precisely pinpoints what bone matter has to go. The CVOSC team then schedules an appointment for surgery and off you go. Surgery day comes around and within a few pleasant aestheticized hours, your spur is removed and you are on the road to recovery. But, what happens in the next few minutes, hours, days and weeks ahead?

Post-operative care begins right away at CVOSC and other surgery centers in Orange County. As a patient, you will be educated in advance of the course of action that takes place, which includes additional doctor visits, day-of-surgery preparation, surgery procedure, immediate facility post-op care and at-home post operative care.

Generally, after your surgical procedure, depending on the anesthesia that was administered, it may take anywhere from one to four hours before you leave the center. You may stay in the surgery area on our gurney for the immediate moments after the surgery. A registered nurse will ask how you are doing, if there is any pain, if you need water, etc., and will help facilitate your immediate needs. Soon after, you will be moved to a recovery room, where you will continue to be watched by key medical staff, as well as receive a visit from your surgeon, who may review the surgery and ask you questions, if you aren’t too groggy. Then, as you gain further consciousness, your friend or family member and a nurse or medical staff member will assist you to your vehicle. Your friend will drive you home, where you will further recover.

Pain management is important. Your doctor will prescribe specific medications, which should take. At home, be sure to check out surgery wounds, if possible, to make sure that they are not bleeding or separating. It is also important to eat regularly and take lots of fluids to eliminate both residual anesthesia and to maintain bowel regularity. Easy exercise, like walks and stretching, are also recommend for most patients, as well as deep breathing to help increase overall circulation to speed recovery. Chief amongst post-op things to do includes sleep. Sleep is vital for recovery and helps accelerate healing. Of course, it is important to cease the use of alcohol and cigarettes during this period. At home, you’ll have telephone access to medical staff for any questions or concerns.

To round out the success of your surgery, you will likely visit your surgeon and doctor at the center a few times after your at-home post-op recovery to see how things are going. Soon after, you can return to the speed of life!