For those who have decided to undergo breast reduction surgery, the transformation will be exciting, but it is extremely important to follow the set of pre-surgery instructions that will be provided.
As one of the most meticulous plastic surgeons in New York, Dr. Gartner provides all his patients with a list of comprehensive instructions, which are designed to help patients prepare for the surgery and make recovery smooth and fast.
Although breast reduction surgery is an extremely safe and common procedure, it is still considered a major surgery. Therefore, it is important to understand how to prepare for it.
For those patients who are smokers, it is advised to stop smoking at least two weeks before surgery, and after. This is because smoking can affect healing by depriving the tissues of essential oxygen, which will in turn increase the recovery time. For those who are unable to follow these guidelines, it is essential that they are at least not smoking up until the day of your operation, to avoid serious complications or postponing the procedure until they are smoke free. It is also advised to stop drinking alcohol a week prior to the procedure.
If patients are taking any prescription medicines, it is recommended to check with either the surgeon or GP directly if the medicine can be continued or should be stopped prior to the procedure, and if so, when it can be resumed. Generally, Aspirin and anti-inflammatories are not permitted, among several other ‘over the counter’ remedies.
As the day of the surgery draws nearer, it is recommended to make a ‘To Do’ list and have certain arrangements in place. For example, pack a bag of things that need to be brought along of the day of the operation as well as post-surgery arrangements.
Generally, one must ensure that they have a family member or friend available to bring them to and from the clinic, as it is unsafe to drive for around 48 hours following anesthesia.
During the recovery period, extra support with daily activities may be required; therefore it is recommended to have a support system in place to help with household chores, children, and pets. It may be helpful to stock up on groceries and have certain housework done prior to the surgery to ease the recovery period.
It is also advisable to stock up on medicines, bandages/dressings, antibacterial soap, ice packs and scar reducing creams. If your surgeon recommends using Arnica Gel and Bromelain then these should also be purchased beforehand
Since reaching down and bending is off limits for at least the first few days, it is suggested to place items that are used on a daily basis at hip level prior to the surgery.
For the day before the surgery, patients must have their last meal no later than midnight, as there is no eating or drinking permitted six hours before surgery.
As one of the leading plastic surgeons in the New Jersey area, Dr. Gartner has refined surgical techniques to make procedures less traumatic for the patient and reduce the length of the recovery period.
For example, it is the standard for general anaesthesia to be administered during such procedures as breast reduction. However, with the advanced techniques Dr. Gartner has designed, suitable patients may choose to have these procedures under local anaesthetic instead. This not only eliminates the risks related to general anaesthesia, it may also lead to far less pain and discomfort during recovery, and optimal results faster.