If you have been assigned a room and have been admitted to a hospital bed, then you will be transported to the pre-operative holding area about 30 minutes prior to your operation.  Your family may remain in your room or wait in the Surgery waiting area on the second floor.  It would be helpful if family members or friends notify the nurses’ desk or the waiting room receptionist of their whereabouts, so that we can find them to let them know that your surgery is over.

We will schedule a pre-operative visit during which the doctor will fill-out hospital forms, go over your medical history, current medications, allergies etc. and perform a complete physical examination.  You will also be given the opportunity to ask questions about the procedure, hospitalization, complications, etc.

When the tumor is removed, it is sent for frozen section.  This means that the pathologist will freeze a piece, slice it very thin and color it with various dyes that help in deciding what kind of tumor it is and if it is malignant or benign. When superficial, benign tumors are treated with excision of the superficial lobe of the parotid gland. Deep tumors may require a total parotidectomy or excision of the portion of the tumor that is deep to the facial nerve.

The assessment nurse will tell you the exact time of your operation and when to come to the hospital.  In general, you are expected to be in the hospital, an hour and a half prior to your scheduled procedure.

Traditionally, surgeons have repaired a hernia through an open incision in the abdomen. Today, however, more and more people are having their ventral hernias repaired by MIP. During a conventional hernia repair, an incision, often several inches long, is made in the abdominal wall, through the skin, into the abdomen. The contents of the hernia are pushed back into the abdomen and the muscles are sutured back together.

A rehabilitation program will be specially designed for your situation in order to help you regain balance, strength and range of movement. You may be using a continuous passive motion machine that automatically moves your leg to help reduce stiffness. Your physical therapist will help you perform these exercises. About 24 hours after surgery, you will probably be ready to try standing. Within the next 24 hours, you will likely begin to walk a few steps with the help of a walker.

You will participate in a specially designed rehabilitation program to help regain your range of motion and strengthen the muscles around your new hip. A few hours after surgery, you may be asked to sit on the edge of the bed and dangle your feet. Sometime within the next 24 hours, your physical therapist will help you start walking a few steps at a time. You will begin using a walker and then progress to crutches and later a cane as you continue to heal.