SURGICAL SERVICES

Ambulatory surgery allows patients to have elective surgery, spend minimal time recovering at the facility and then continue to recover in the comfort of their own homes - all in the same day. At Tucson Surgery Center, we provide state-of-the-art ambulatory surgical care in a comfortable convenient setting. The goal of the Tucson Surgery Center is to blend professionals and technology, ensuring the patient the highest level of personal care and patient satisfaction.

Tucson Surgery Center is a multi-specialty surgical center. We offer 9 pre-operative bays, 12 recovery bays and 6 surgical suites capable of providing all types of anesthesia. Rooms are equipped with the latest surgical equipment. All areas are equipped for complete patient monitoring and comfort.

• General Surgery
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Plastic Surgery
• Podiatry
• ENT
• Ophthalmology

You will be asked to arrive 1-½ to 2 hours before your scheduled surgical time, but NO EARLIER than 6:00 am.

What to Expect:

• It is recommended that you do not eat or drink after midnight.
• Please bring your insurance card or Medicare card (if applicable), your ID card and any payment due.
• We recommend that you leave all valuables, including cell phones, at home or with a responsible party that arrives with you.
• Please bring any paperwork your doctor may have given you, such as your medical history or lab and test results.
• Please bring a list of medications and doses you are currently taking. If you are asthmatic, bring your inhalers.
• Do not use alcoholic beverages or recreational drugs starting the night before surgery. Do not use or please limit the use of tobacco products starting the night before surgery.
• Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing. If you are having upper body or upper extremity surgery, a buttoned shirt is easier than a pull over.
• Dentures, Hearing aids, Contact lenses and Glasses: For most surgeries these items cannot be worn. Please bring their cases with you for proper storage.
• Remove all jewelry (including any body jewelry) prior to arriving for surgery.
• Visitors: Please limit your visitors to two people; small children should be left at home if possible. Your visitors will be able to stay with you before and again after surgery once you are fully awake. Your physician may speak to your visitors after the surgery is finished. We encourage visitors to remain available at the facility so as not to miss the physician. We provide a waiting area with a T.V. and reading material.
• Children: A parent or guardian must accompany a minor patient while at the surgery center. This includes remaining on site while your child has his or her procedure. If you are the legal guardian please bring the documents reflecting your ability to make decisions for the minor. We will gladly make a copy for our records.

In the Recovery Area:
After surgery, you will be taken to the Recovery Room. You will be closely monitored by a registered nurse for the remainder of your stay at the surgery center.

• Recovery time is highly individualized. Typical recovery times range from ½ hour to 2 hours depending on the type of surgery.
• Once you are awake, your visitors or family will be able to join you in the Recovery Area. We ask that visitors be limited to two in the Recovery Area.
• After surgery, our goal is to keep you as comfortable as possible. It is important to remember that depending on the type of surgery you may not be completely pain free. It is important that you communicate with the Recovery Nurses any pain that you experience.
• We utilize a pain scale based on 0 - 10, zero being no pain and 10 being the worst pain you have ever experienced. Do NOT wait until your pain is unbearable to request medication, it will not be as effective.
• Depending on the type of anesthesia you receive, it is not uncommon to feel sleepy or drowsy. You may also experience dizziness or nausea. Please communicate with your nurse any of these symptoms (medication is available to counteract them).
• When you are ready to go home the nurses will review postoperative instructions with you and your family or visitor if you wish. You will receive a copy of all discharge instructions to refer back to once you get home.

Going Home:

• You MUST have another person drive you home. Your surgery may be cancelled if you do not have a responsible party to drive you home.
• It is also recommended that you have someone stay with you the first 24 hours after surgery, should you need any assistance.
• A registered nurse will call to check on you one to two days after your procedure. The nurse will be able to answer any questions you may have.