Patient Instructions

Preoperative Instructions For Vein and TIPPs Surgery

1. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the evening before surgery. Avoid heavy greasy foods. Do not use gum, lozenges, or breath mints the morning of your surgery.

2. Do not drink alcohol 24 hours prior to your surgery. Avoid smoking after midnight.

3. Take only those medications prescribed by your doctor with a sip of water on the morning of surgery. Take your usual blood pressure and heart medication with a sip of water, and use any inhalers as you normally would the morning of surgery. Bring a list of your medications with you to the hospital.

4. Please stop taking Plavix® seven (7) days prior to surgery. Please stop taking Coumadin® three (3) days prior to surgery.

5. If you are diabetic do not take any of your diabetes medication, including insulin the morning of your admission to the hospital. If you are taking Glucophage, this must be stopped one (1) day before your admission.

6. Wear comfortable casual clothing on the day of your admission. Clothing should allow for easy dressing and undressing.

7. Please do not bring valuables, (jewelry, excessive amounts of money or credit cards). You should be prepared to leave these with whoever accompanies you to the hospital.

8. If you wear glasses, contact lenses, or dentures, they must be removed prior to your surgery. Please bring a case for your glasses or contacts.

9. If any feeling of illness comes up (cold, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, fever, or flu), promptly notify your VTS surgeon’s office at 470-5570.

10. Please do not apply makeup (cosmetics), aerosol sprays, perfumes, deodorants, or skin creams.

11. You must arrange for someone to bring you home after your surgery. There will be no exception to this rule: Outpatient surgery cannot be performed without responsible adult transportation to bring you home. A cab or bus will not be acceptable. Please arrange for someone to be with you until the morning after your surgery.

12. The Surgery Coordinators will be calling you to arrange your surgery date and time. They will also instruct you on where to go to have your preadmission testing (chest x-ray, EKG, lab work) completed.

13. You will receive a packet with the following information you will need for surgery.

A. Informed consent- Surgery is performed at the Ambulatory Surgery Center at Sentara Leigh Memorial on an outpatient basis. The surgery itself usually takes less than an hour, however, the entire surgical experience will take approximately 3-4 hours.

B. Preoperative lab slip- Lab work, possibly an EKG, and/or Chest x-ray are needed 4-5 days prior to surgery. We strongly encourage pre-op testing to be done at Sentara Leigh Memorial.

C. Compressing hose- you will be measured for compression hose in the office. You may pay for them at that the time or send the information in yourself. It takes 5-7 days for delivery to your home. You will need to bring these stockings with you on your first post-op visit. You will need to wear them 24/7 for at least 2 weeks following surgery. Compression hose are not usually covered by insurance.

D. You will be discharged from the hospital with your leg wrapped in ace bandages. You will need to follow up in the Virginia Beach office.

E. Postoperative instructions-Please read and we will review these with you on your first post op visit.
Any questions?

Please call 470-5570 and ask to speak to a nurse.

Postoperative Instructions for Vein and TIPPs Surgery

1. For the first 2 postoperative days, your leg(s) will be wrapped from toe to groin in a sticky Ace wrap type dressing. This should be removed after two days, the leg washed, and the stocking applied.

2. During the day of surgery, avoid prolonged sitting or standing. We encourage you to walk but, when lying down or sitting, keep your legs elevated.

3. If the outer dressing is constricting, causing numbness or pain, you may cut it just enough to relieve the pressure. If bleeding occurs through the wrap, place gauze and tape or an Ace wrap over the outer dressing to reinforce it. Minimal drainage is expected.

4. Your postop appointment will be made when your surgery is scheduled. You may have Steri-Strips that cover the incisions. They remain in place until they fall off by themselves (usually in a week). Just wash gently over them with soap and water, and pat these areas dry. If they have not fallen off in a week, gently remove them in the shower. Do not soak in a tub or swim for two weeks.

5. You will be bruised and have areas beneath your incisions that are lumpy/bumpy, and you may experience numbness, tingling, burning, or intermittent sharp shooting pains. These will resolve over a period of several weeks to months.

6. Wear you compression stockings 24 hours a day for at least the next two weeks. They may be removed for brief (30-minute) periods to shower or if your legs remain elevated.

7. Walking and exercise will help you recover more quickly from your surgery. Try to elevate your legs over the level of your heart for 15 minutes at least twice a day and whenever you are sitting down. Avoid sitting or standing in one place for longer than 30 minutes at a time.

8. Do not drive while taking prescription pain medication. I f you are not allergic you may begin taking Ibuprofen as directed for pain.

9. Gently massage for 20-30 minutes twice a day the surgical area with a non-alcohol lotion, optimally using an electric massager. Manual massage can be substituted. THIS IS EXTREMLTY IMPORTANT!

10. When to call the doctors office:

  • If you develop fever or chills;
  • Development of increasing redness, excessive drainage, or increasing pain in the area of incisions.Your surgeon and nurses are available to speak with you.

Please do not hesitate to call.
8:30 to 5:00, Monday through Friday
Phone (757) 470-5570
After hours, seven days a week for the MD “on call”
Phone (757) 470-5570

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