On the day of the surgery, you will arrive at the office, hospital or surgery center as directed. Remember to not eat or drink anything when getting up in the morning unless otherwise directed. You may wear loose clothing and undergarments to the surgery center. Wear something that you can easily get on and off the surgical foot and leg including loose gym pants or pajamas. 

When you arrive at the facility, you will be checked-in by a member of our staff or the hospital or day surgery/surgery center staff. The admission process is usually very quick. Most of your information will already have been secured prior to the surgery. Please avoid wearing any jewelry, piercings, nail polish and cosmetics, and leave contact lenses at home or bring the lens case with you.

After you arrive and check-in, a nurse will escort you into the preoperative area where you will change your clothes.

Belongings will be safely stored until you are ready to go home. We recommend that you leave all valuables and additional accessories at home.   A nurse will conduct a preoperative assessment that will include taking your vital signs and starting an IV.  If this is an in-office surgery, the anesthesiologist will perform the preoperative assessment and start the IV.

The doctors and surgeons of Foot and Ankle Specialists of Corpus Christi have been working with Gulf Shore Anesthesia group for over 20 years and an anesthesiologist will also speak with you in the preoperative area to review all preoperative information and discuss your anesthesia.

Our staff and the surgery staff will keep your family and friends informed of your progress.  We understand the anxiety family and friends will have while you are having your procedure.  The surgery team will make every effort to keep them informed of your progress and when they will be able to re-join you after the procedure.

The surgeon(s) will visit you prior to surgery and mark the surgery site.  He will discuss with you again what to do after surgery and will likely repeat this to you and your family after surgery.

You will get prescriptions for pain medications which you should have filled prior to the surgery.  Antibiotics are usually not prescribed prior to the surgery unless otherwise indicated by your physician.  Dr. Kline will give you the exact time of when to show up at the facility for your surgery.

Antibiotics will be given to you through the IV in the office setting surgery, hospital and surgery center.

Many times, the hospital or surgery center will call you prior to surgery to verify the procedure, insurance information and any other information deemed necessary.   You may also be direct to register prior to surgery at the hospital or surgery center which is conveniently located  close to our office.

It is normal to feel anxiety and restlessness prior to surgery.  In fact, you may not sleep well the night before your surgery.  This is entirely normal.  On the day of your surgery, your anesthesiologist will give you medications that will relax you.  Remember, the surgery will be a very pleasant experience.

Remember, in surgery, your safety is our primary concern.  The  entire health care team will follow rigorous guidelines regarding site identification and procedure confirmation. National Patient Safety Goals have been developed which require your involvement too.

After the procedure, your foot and ankle will be wrapped in gauze and sometimes you may walk on the foot with a special shoe and other times you must keep off the foot entirely.   You may also have a splint or cast in place depending on the type of procedure performed.  This will be discussed with you prior to surgery.  Crutches and mobility walkers (i.e. knee walkers) will be either prescribed before your surgery or given to you after surgery in the recovery area.

You will wake up without any pain.  We ask that you begin taking your pain medications, elevating and staying off the surgical foot as soon as you get home.  You will begin icing the foot and ankle in the recovery room and continue this at home.

We ask that you have someone drive you and pick you up after your surgery.  You may give a cell number to your nurse who will promptly call your family after your surgery and notify them that you are ready to be picked up.  A family member may also wait in the facility until the procedure is done.  Our surgeon(s) will talk with you and your family in the recovery room about procedural outcomes and reiterate what to do after surgery.

When you get home, keep the surgical limb elevated and stay off the foot as much as possible.  Take your pain medication at scheduled intervals and always take pain medication with food.  It is normal to feel pain 8 to 12 hours after your surgery.  If the pain is intense, remember to loosen the ace compression wrap and continue icing the foot.  You may also double-up on your pain medication if necessary.  In some surgeries, our surgeon(s) will also prescribe a pain pump or provide a long acting regional block.  A pain pump will administer local anesthetic to the surgical site for an additional 24 to 48 hour period.  Remember, pain medication and anti-inflammatory medications taken after surgery will help, but will not eliminate all pain.  Pain will improve after 48 to 72 hours of the surgery.