How to Prepare One Week Before Surgery

We care about your experience with us, so we have put together some patient education materials that will help you prepare for surgery. Make sure to read through them the week before your surgery, and bring them with you to the hospital. Here are some other things to do during the week before your surgery.

To help prevent infections, stop shaving your chest and legs one week before your surgery.

If you haven’t done it yet, it’s time to quit smoking and quit using other tobacco products. Studies show that patients who quit smoking for even seven days before their surgery will do better than if they smoke every day until their surgery.

Make arrangements to stay with a family member or to have someone stay with you for the first week you’re home. Heart surgery is a major event, and you’ll need some help.

You’ll need someone to pick up your groceries, get your prescriptions filled, and take you to your follow-up appointments.

The better prepared you are in advance, the more smoothly your hospital stay and recovery will go. If you have any questions about how to prepare for your surgery, you can refer to your Patient Education Guide or talk to your doctor.