Surgical Services

Eating and drinking

• Do not eat any foods (including gum) after midnight the evening before your surgery.
• Unless told otherwise by your surgeon or anaesthesiologist, you may drink clear liquids up to two hours before your scheduled surgery time. Clear liquids include water, fruit juice without pulp, carbonated beverages and black coffee or tea (no dairy or additives).
• We highly recommend limiting what you eat 24-48 hours before. This will help you avoid complications during and after surgery. Please consult your surgeon and/or anaesthesiologist about any potential restrictions.
• Do not drink alcohol 24 hours before the day of your surgery.
• Do not smoke or use any tobacco/marijuana product 24 hours before surgery.

Hygiene and clothes

• Shower using chlorhexidine soap and a clean washcloth or a chlorhexidine sponge, available for purchase in the Brampton Civic and Etobicoke General pharmacies.
  • Shower the evening and the morning before your surgery.
  • Wash yourself from your neck to your toes, washing your groin and anal areas last.
  • If you do not have the soap or sponge, shower the evening and morning before your surgery using your own shampoo and soap.
• Do not apply scented deodorant, lotion, powder, colognes, perfumes or creams to your body.
• Wear freshly washed, comfortable, loose clothing and comfortable flat shoes.
• Do not wear nail polish, eyelash extensions, artificial nails or makeup. Do not use hairspray.

What to bring to the hospital

Bring the following:

• your OHIP card and photo I.D.
• an interpreter (if you need one)
• all medications, including:
  • inhalers or puffers in their original containers
  • insulin
  • all supplements, vitamins and herbal products
• storage containers for your glasses, contact lenses and dentures
• your Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, if you have one
• the name and phone number of the person picking you up after surgery. You must have a responsible person to drive you home, as you will not be allowed to drive yourself. If you do not have a responsible person to drive you home, your surgery may be cancelled. Please note that a taxicab, Uber, Lyft or similar driver is not considered a responsible person.

If you expect to be admitted for an overnight stay after your surgery, please bring the following items. Please leave these things with a family member or in the car:

• Personal items such as a robe, slippers, toothbrush and clothes to wear when you are discharged
• Crutches, if you have them at home and will need them after surgery
• Your Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, if you have obstructive sleep apnea

What not to bring to the hospital

Leave all jewellery (including watches, wedding rings and piercings), money, wallets or purses and other valuables at home. Please note your surgery may be cancelled if wedding rings and piercings are not removed. Spacers may be used in your piercings.

We are not responsible for any lost or damaged personal items.

When to contact your surgeon

Contact your surgeon's office immediately if:

• you need to cancel your surgery. This will allow another surgery to take place and yours to be rescheduled.
• there is any possibility that you are pregnant
• you develop a cold, sore throat, fever, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, cough or congestion, rash or any other medical problems that may interfere with surgery

Who do I contact if I have last-minute questions?

Please contact your surgeon's office.

How early should I arrive for my surgery?

Unless you are instructed otherwise, arrive two hours before your surgery. It is important that you arrive on time to ensure that your surgery begins on time.

Where do I go when I get to the hospital?

When you arrive, register at the registration kiosks in the front lobby.

Brampton Civic
2100 Bovaird Drive East, Brampton
Main level (check in at the central registration desk in the main lobby)
Phone: 905-494-2120 ext. 56587

Etobicoke General
101 Humber College Boulevard, Etobicoke
Main level (check in at the central registration desk in the main lobby)
Phone: 416-494-2120 ext. 33595

After you have registered, proceed to the Day Surgery area. Directions will be issued by the kiosks.

What happens when I arrive at Day Surgery?

Both Etobicoke General and Brampton Civic have Day Surgery departments. All surgical patients begin their day here. Some patients will return to this location later the same day to be discharged. Those being admitted for an overnight stay will go to an inpatient unit.

When you arrive, the Day Surgery staff will:

• help you change into a patient gown (please come wearing loose-fitting, comfortable clothes)
• give you a bag for your clothes. The bag will be given back to you after your surgery. We cannot be responsible for valuables, so please leave them at home. If you need extra belongings for your stay, please have a family member bring them to your room after surgery.
• ask you to remove any dentures, glasses, and hearing aids and give them to your family member for safekeeping. If you are alone, we will label them and put them in the bag with your clothes.
• confirm the information from your pre-anaesthesia clinic appointment or call
• take your heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure and temperature

Please note, Day Surgery is not a suitable area for children or families. If necessary, one family member may wait with you for support or interpreting.

Just before you go into the operating room, the nurse or anaesthesiologist may start an intravenous (IV) line to give you fluids and medication. For some surgeries, they may give you a nerve block.

What will happen in the operating room?

Your surgery will take place in the operating room (OR). You will be helped onto the OR table. The surgical team will introduce themselves and go through a safety checklist to confirm the details of your procedure. You will be given an anaesthetic medication through your intravenous (IV) line and you will drift off to sleep.

Your family member may wait in the surgery waiting area. Volunteers will let them know when the surgery is finished and you are in the recovery room.

Your family member may visit you after you have been moved back to Day Surgery or to a patient room, if you are admitted for a longer stay.

What can I expect after my surgery?

After surgery, you will be moved to the Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit while you wake up from the anaesthetic. You may stay here up to several hours, depending on how quickly you can be moved to Post-Operative Day Surgery or an inpatient room. You may wish to have a family member nearby to give you your glasses or hearing aids, if needed. Patients who need intensive care may be moved to the Intensive Care Unit.

If you are going home on the same day as your surgery, we will call the waiting room to ask a family member to help you leave. If your family member is not at the hospital, we can also call them when it is time to get you. Since you will not be allowed to go home alone, please make sure someone is available all day. Staxi chairs and wheelchairs are available to help take you to a waiting car.

After surgery, you may feel a little shaky or sleepy until the effects of the anaesthetic wear off. For the 24 hours following surgery, you should:

• be in the care of another adult
• not drive a motorized vehicle or operate hazardous machinery
• avoid consuming alcohol
• avoid traveling alone by public transit
• not make any important personal or business decisions

If needed, we may give you a prescription for medication when going home. For your convenience, there are pharmacies on the main level at Brampton Civic and in the Etobicoke Wellness Centre at Etobicoke General. Please note there is no community pharmacy at Peel Memorial. You can always fill your prescription at any pharmacy of your choice, regardless of which site you are visiting.

What should I do if I am being admitted?

If you are being admitted overnight, please have a family member or other responsible person bring the following items after your surgery:

• crutches, if you use them at home
• your Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, if you use this at home
• prescribed devices or aids
• a robe and slippers
• toothpaste and a toothbrush
• clothes to wear upon discharge

As soon as you are given a discharge date, you should begin to plan for going home. The person picking you up should come to your room to help you with your personal items. A porter can be arranged to assist you and both Staxi chairs and wheelchairs are available if you need them.

How can I control any pain after surgery?

We encourage you to watch this video on how to use analgesia as a way to manage pain after surgery.

Read more about pain control after surgery.

Will I have a follow-up appointment?

After your surgery and before you are discharged from the hospital, we will book you a follow-up appointment in either one of our outpatient clinics or your surgeon's office.