Preparing for Elective Surgery

Preparing for Elective Surgery

Booking a Surgery: Once you have agreed to surgery after your
initial consultations or follow up, you will be placed on our surgical
waitlist.

SHN surgical journey

Your surgery can be booked as a day surgery at either Don Mills Surgical Unit or The Scarborough General Hospital.

  • Your surgery may be booked as inpatient surgery at the Scarborough
    General Hospital.
  • You will be contacted once a surgical date becomes available.
  • If you refuse 3 dates given to you your name will be removed from the
    waitlist.
  • Should you need to cancel surgery, please do so 6 weeks in advance to
    allow for rescheduling of your surgical date
  • Surgical Journey

2 Weeks Before Surgery :

You will be contacted by our office with respect to returning to complete the preoperative paperwork, as well as your surgical consent with Dr. Latham.

At this appointment:

  • Dr. Latham will explain the scheduled procedure.
  • Dr. Latham will explain the benefits and common risks of the procedure.
  • You will have an opportunity to ask specific questions in relation to your scheduled procedure.
  • You will be provided with an envelope containing all necessary information, including the time of your pre-admission appointment for your surgery
  • Your arrival time for the day of your surgery will be indicated in your take home package

One Week Before Surgery

Pre-Admission Appointment At The Hospital

  • The day of your pre-admission appointment at the hospital, register on the main floor at the Pre-admission department and you will be seen by a Nurse.
  • Please bring your current medication list, as well as your medical history (including previous surgeries).
  • If you have a medical condition such as: diabetes; cardiovascular disease; or sleep apnea, a consultation with an Anesthetist will be scheduled the same day.
  • After you are seen by the Nurse, you will be sent to Diagnostic Imaging for bilateral standing foot and ankle x-rays. Diagnostic Imaging is also located on the first floor of the hospital.
  • If blood tests or an ECG are required, you will be given a requisition to go to the laboratory to complete these tests.
  • You will be asked to see our Pedorthist, Sarah Alger, to be fitted with any required mobility or supplemental devices. Sarah Alger will also create a post-operative weight required mobility
    devices and to have a post operative weight bearing plan created for you.
  • You will receive a call the week of your surgery to confirm your arrival time.

Morning

  • You will have been fasting since midnight
  • Thoroughly wash your leg with an antibacterial soap
  • Trim your Toenails
  • Bring your walking aids to the hospital: crutches, knee walker, stirrup cast, aircast, bunion shoe

Arrive at the Hospital

  • You will be asked to arrive three hours early, at which time you will pro-ceed to the hospital registration desk.
  • You will receive a hospital ID band for your wrist and be told to proceed to the day surgery pre op unit.

Pre-op Unit

Here you will be prepared for surgery by the hospitals team of preoperative nurses.

  • One family member can join you and must remain in hospital to drive you home post operatively.
  • your family will be given a surgical code by which they can follow your progress on our surgical screens.
  • The pre-op nurse will start an IV, review your medications, and ask you about allergies.
  • The pre-op nurse will confirm your surgery, and cross reference your consent form.

Before the OR

  • You meet the OR nurse who will once again review all your relevant surgical information.
  • You will be seen by Dr. Latham and his team and your limb will be marked at the approximate site of surgery
  • You’ll also be visited by your anesthesiologist.

The OR

  • You’ll be walked, or transported into the OR
  • If Anaesthesia has recommended a regional anaesthetic including either a foot and ankle or popliteal block you may stop in the block room before proceeding to the OR.
  • Once in the OR you’ll be covered with a warm blanket, a surgical briefing will be completed, IV antibiotics will be administered, a thigh tourniquet will be applied and your surgery will commence.

Recovery Room

  • Once your surgery is completed, you will have a dressing, or a splint applied to your leg
  • You will be then transported to the recovery room for immediate post operative recovery.
  • Pain medication will be administered, and a post operative X-ray will be taken
  • From the recovery room, you will be discharged to the CP3 Ward as an inpatient or the Day Surgery Unit as an outpatient.

Day Surgery

  • After a stay of approximately an hour in the recovery room you will be transported to the day surgery unit.
  • Here you will be given post operative instructions by your nurse on: follow up, weightbearing, cast and dressing care, and medication use.
  • You will be given a follow up appointment with Dr Latham at the Fracture Clinic at the SHN Birchmount site for 2 weeks following your surgery Contact
  • Once home be sure to elevate your limb above heart level
  • Ice Frequently. Use of a cryocuff is recommended (if there is no cast)
  • Minimal activity for the first 2 weeks helps reduce pain significantly
  • BE COMPLIANT WITH YOUR WEIGHT BEARING INSTRUCTIONS (this is a critical step in recovery from foot and ankle surgery)
  • If you have specific concerns please review our FAQ’s section for possible answers.