October 01, 2021
If you’re thinking about having any surgical procedure, whether it’s a breast augmentation, Brazilian butt lift, tummy tuck, or facelift, you’re probably thinking about the big picture. You might be thinking about your first consultation, and of course, about the day of your surgery. But it’s probably hard to fill in the blanks with all the steps in between.
We think it’s super important for our patients to have a clear picture of every single part of their transformative journey, so we thought this would be a good place to give you the details about what happens during the surgical process, from the day you have your first consultation to the day of your surgery.
We have a fabulous team of wonderful surgeons, nurses and staff here at The Plastic Surgery Clinic to assist our patients at all stages of their journey.
We offer complimentary consultations as we never want our patients to feel any financial pressure to commit to surgery. So you are always welcome to come see us to get all of the information you need before deciding whether or not surgery might be right for you.
The first time you come to meet us, we’ll start by confirming your personal information and details and then we’ll take your weight and height to ensure that you are within a safe BMI range for surgery.
The consultation is such an important part of the surgical process. Every patient has to be evaluated individually so that the procedure can be customized to their particular needs. It is impossible to tell whether or not a patient is a candidate for surgery without an in person examination by one of our plastic surgeons.
During your consultation, your surgeon will take the time to talk to you about your medical history and will assess whether you’re fit to undergo surgery safely. Your consultation is also a moment where you and your surgeon have the chance to discuss your desires, goals and expectations.
Your surgeon will then give you a number of treatment options and will also review the risks and complications of your surgery. Although rare, risks are a part of any surgical procedure, and it’s important that you have a full picture and understanding of these risks before making any decisions.
If you’re coming in for a breast augmentation consultation, it will include a sizing appointment (the fun part!) that will allow you to choose your preferred breast implant size based on your surgeon’s recommendations.
It’s important to keep in mind that not all expectations can be accomplished with surgery and your surgeon will discuss this with you during your consultation.
At the end of your consultation, you will be provided with one of our consultation packets, which will include the quote for your procedure(s), surgical booking forms that will allow you to book your surgery without having to return to process your credit card or to make the deposit to secure your procedure date, as well as a letter that describes the details to keep in mind when booking your surgery.
Medicard financing information along with your coordinator’s contact information will also be included in your packet.
If you feel that after your consultation you have questions or concerns, you can feel free to reach out to our team, and you are always welcome to come back for another consult to chat more if you need to. We get that this is a big decision and you deserve to have all the answers you need.
Once you book your surgery with us, you’ll be assigned a surgical coordinator who will provide you with support and assist you with any questions that you have regarding your surgery, subsequent appointments, and any required documentation.
Your coordinator will collect all your required documentation and medical forms, including your labs, which will all be due within 2 weeks of your surgery date. Your patient coordinator is there to support you and to ensure that you’re safely moving towards your surgical date and in good health.
On the day of your surgery, you’ll be dropped off at your pre-arranged arrival time by your chosen caregiver. It’s important to have a solid support system in place for the day of your surgery, as well as for the first week or two of your recovery.
Your caregiver will have to be sure that their cell is on and that they are readily available within a 20-30 minute drive of the clinic anytime on the surgical day.
When you arrive at the clinic on the day of your surgery, we will have a short visit with you again in order to discuss any last minute questions that you might have and to re-confirm your caregiver details. After this you may have a short wait in the waiting room depending on how the previous case is running. Once everything is ready, you will then be brought to the pre-operative room.
In the pre-op room you’ll be asked to change into your pyjamas and you will meet your nurses, and you will also be assessed by the anesthesiologist. The nurses will provide you with some pre-op medications in preparation for your surgery.
These medications will also help you to relax. As exciting as surgery day is, it’s also totally normal and understandable to feel a bit nervous and anxious. Your nurses and coordinators will do their best to make you feel as relaxed and comfortable as possible.
Your surgeon will come and see you in order to “map out” the surgical approach and will also review any last minute questions that you might have. Once the operating room is ready, the nurses will then escort you into the OR and the anesthetist will put you gently to sleep.
Once your surgery is completed the anesthetist will wake you up and you will then be transferred to the recovery room by the anesthetist and the nurses. The anesthetist will also check in on you at this time.
Your caregiver will then receive a call from the recovery nurse letting them know that your surgery is over and will advise them of an approximate time for pick-up.
When the recovery room nurse sees that you’re ready to be discharged, she will contact your caregiver again, approximately 30-45 minutes before discharge in order to confirm the pick-up time and to ensure that they are on their way back to the clinic.
During discharge from the clinic, you and your caregiver will be given specific written post-operative care instructions along with the emergency number of the plastic surgeon on call to contact if you have any issues or concerns during off hours. You will also receive an appointment card with a list of your mandatory post-operative appointments.
Your caregiver will need to bring you back to the clinic the following day for post-operative care. The post-op nurse will ensure that any bruising or swelling is normal. If there are any concerns about your immediate recovery they’ll be brought to the attention of your surgeon right away.
Any additional weekly post-operative appointments can be time sensitive and are made to ensure that you are healing appropriately and to provide you with the appropriate instructions that will ensure a full and speedy recovery.
Wonderful results can be achieved during surgery and we can’t stress enough how important your post-operative care is. This is a very important process and the partnership between patient, surgeon and staff during the healing time is crucial to ensure safe healing and a beautiful result.
Did we answer all your questions? Our goal is to ensure you have the best information possible to make your decision. If you still have questions, we’re here to help.
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