Preparing for surgery is an important part of your treatment journey. Taking steps in the weeks leading up to your procedure may help support a smoother recovery, reduce potential risks, and ensure you feel confident and well-prepared on the day of surgery.
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Preparing your body for surgery is an important part of your overall treatment. Taking steps to optimise your health beforehand may help support recovery, reduce the risk of complications, and improve your experience after surgery.
Maintaining a good level of general health can support your recovery.
Where possible:
Even small improvements in fitness and rest may be beneficial before surgery.
If you are above your ideal weight, gradual weight reduction may help reduce stress on your joints and support recovery. This is not always required, but in some cases may be discussed as part of your pre-operative planning.
It is important that any existing medical conditions are well controlled prior to surgery.
This may include:
In some cases, a physiotherapy program before surgery (often referred to as “prehabilitation”) may be recommended.
This can help:
It is not usually recommended for arthritis or rotator cuff conditions, and useful more in sports injuries.
Taking time to prepare both physically and practically before surgery can help make your recovery smoother. This includes organising support at home, time off work, and understanding what to expect after your procedure.
Dr Richard Dallalana will make specific recommendations based on your individual health, work and lifestyle requirements in the context of your planned surgery.
Managing your medication before surgery is an important part of preparation. Some medications may need to be adjusted or temporarily stopped for your procedure.
You should inform Dr Richard Dallalana and the anaesthetic team of all medications and supplements you are taking, including over-the-counter and herbal products.
Common medications that may require adjustment include:
You will be provided with clear instructions about which medications to stop, continue, or modify, and when to do so.
*You must notify of any weight loss medication, injected or tablet form, whether prescribed or not. These include, but not limited to: Ozempic, Mounjara, Wegovy, Saxenda, Zepbound, Contrave, Duromine, Xenical.
On most occasions use of these medications will require a 24 HOUR FAST prior to surgery, or cessation of the medication for 4 weeks prior.
Surgery will be cancelled on the day if use of these medications is advised late
Do not stop prescription medications without advice. It is important that you do not stop any prescribed medications without medical guidance, as this may affect your health or surgical safety. If required, Dr Dallalana may liaise with your GP or other specialists to ensure any medication changes are managed appropriately.
All normal medication may be taken on the morning of surgery with a small sip of water even if fasting, unless advised otherwise.
Closer to your surgery date, you will receive specific instructions, which may include:
If anything is unclear, reach out to Dr Dallalana’s office by phone or email.
You should bring a list of your medications, and ideally the medications themselves, to the hospital on the day of surgery. This ensures the anaesthetist has the most accurate information about what you are taking.
Dr Richard Dallalana and the medical team will guide you through any medication adjustments needed.
Before surgery, a number of pre-operative assessments may be arranged to ensure you are medically prepared and that your procedure can be performed safely. These assessments help identify any factors that may influence your surgery, anaesthetic, or recovery, and allow appropriate planning in advance.
For most patients and for most procedures no specific medical appointments for clearance are required before surgery
In some cases, particularly for more complex procedures or where there are multiple background medical conditions, a review by a physician (medical specialist) may be needed.
This allows:
This review is required as a routine for all joint replacement procedures
These assessments are an important part of your preparation, helping ensure your surgery proceeds safely and that you are well supported throughout your treatment journey.
Recovery takes time, and preparing your home in advance can help you focus on healing rather than managing daily challenges. Dr Richard Dallalana and his team will provide guidance tailored to your procedure and individual needs to help support a smooth recovery at home.
Even small improvements in fitness and rest may be beneficial before surgery.
If anything is unclear, reach out to Dr Dallalana’s office by phone or email.
Dr Dallalana’s office will provide a written quote before your surgery outlining the surgical fee, the anticipated refund from Medicare, the anticipated refund from your private health insurer, and the out of pocket (gap) fee to be expected, if any.
The full surgical fee is requested to be paid in full at least 3 days prior to the procedure. This is best using credit card over the phone. Amex is accepted. There are no credit card surcharges. Direct bank transfer can be arranged upon request if needed.
At the time of the first review appointment after the surgery a receipt will be issued which should then be submitted to your private insurer to receive their refund. Dr Dallalana’s office will submit your receipt to Medicare on your behalf so that you will receive the refund from Medicare automatically.
Please read the information emailed to you by Dr Dallalana’s office regarding admission date and time, and sign and return the acceptance of fees consent form. The medical consent form for your actual surgical procedure will be signed by yourself on the day of surgery.
At the time you schedule your surgery with Dr Dallalana’s office, a numerical code (or codes) pertaining to your operation will be given to you.
You must contact your private health insurer before the date of surgery quoting the code(s) you are given to confirm that you are covered for the procedure.
Many policies have exclusions, and you may unexpectedly not be covered. This should be done as far ahead of time as possible to either make other payment contingencies or to cancel or reschedule the procedure.
Note that your insurer will not be able to tell you the cost of the surgery (this is outlined in the quote provided by Dr Dallalana’s office for your procedure) but simply whether the procedure in question can be performed in the relevant private hospital or not – i.e. that the insurer will pay the hospital fees.
It is worth confirming also what the excess payable to your insurer for the admission will be.
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