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Welcome to Jiahui International Hospital (JIH) located in 689 Guiping Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai. Our mission is to provide excellence in healthcare for our patients. We are dedicated to providing you with an experience that is efficient, high quality and as comfortable as possible. We have provided this set of instructions to help you learn what to expect and how to prepare for your upcoming procedure. Advanced preparation helps you relax, and may speed your recovery. Please read this brochure and feel free to ask questions to learn more.
Before Surgery
1. What to bring
• Please bring any test results not done at Jiahui Health when you check in on the day of surgery.
• Please bring all medication labeled containers or boxes if you currently take them regularly.
• Eyeglasses, contact lenses & case, Hearing aid(s) & case, denture case (if applicable).
• ID or passport, Chinese social security card, commercial insurance documents.
2. Preparing for surgery at home
Pre-operative Diet
• We recommend increasing the carbohydrates in your diet for 1 to 2 days before your surgery. This will help your body have the energy you need for surgery and recovery. Foods that are good sources of carbohydrates include: pasta, rice, cereals, bread, beans and lentils, milk and fruit.
• If you are diabetic, please discuss with your doctor about how to manage your diet.
1. No food starting 8 hours prior to surgery.
2. You may drink water or other clear liquids between 2-8 hours prior to surgery.
3. Absolutely no fluid or food starting 2 hours prior to surgery.
4. Clear liquids would include coffee or tea without milk or cream, carbonated water and water fortified with salt such as sports drinks. It must be completely transparent without any sediments.
If you do not follow this NPO requirement, your surgery may be cancelled.
Preparing Your Skin for Surgery
• Skin Preparation: According to the surgical site and types of the surgery, you are usually asked to have a bath / shower and hair shampoo the night before and the morning of the surgery.
• Surgeries may require you to use 2% chlorhexidine to start cleaning the surgical site one to three days prior to the day of the surgery.
• Put on clean and breathable clothes after showering.
• If you smoke and you are scheduled for surgery, we recommend that you take immediate steps to stop smoking at once. Do not smoke at least one week before your surgery. Smoking will not only increase your airway secretion, but also decrease blood flow making surgical wounds less likely to close, less likely to heal well and more likely to become infected.
• Please do not drink alcohol for 48 hours before your operation. Alcohol may change how your body reacts to medications during the operation.
• Most medications should be taken on your usual schedule the day before your surgery. If you take medications listed below, please discuss with your doctor:
• Anticoagulant/blood thinning medication
Please discuss with your surgeon if and/or when you should stop the anticoagulation prior to your surgery.
• Blood Glucose Medication
Please follow your doctor’s instruction about holding or cutting down your morning diabetic medication dose.
• Antihypertensive medication
You may take your anti-hypertensive medication with a sip of water on the day of your surgery. If you are undergoing thoracic surgery, please stop taking anti-hypertensive medication that contains reserpine composition one week before the surgery.
• Hormonal Medication
You can continue to take your hormonal medication before surgery to avoid fluctuation of medication concentration (e.g. thyroxine sodium, female hormones). If you are currently taking steroids, please follow your doctor’s instruction. Your doctor may elect to substitute your oral steroids with an intravenous dose.
• Any medication you have been told to take before surgery, take it with small sips of water.
Arrive on time
Please arrive 2 hours before your scheduled surgery time. Every effort is made to ensure your surgery begins at the scheduled time. Your surgery might be delayed due to unexpected reasons, such as emergency or prolonged operation time for the first patient. We will inform you at the right time if this is the case.
Pre-operative assessment
A nurse will take you to the pre-operative area and complete a final checklist with you. You will be asked to change into a hospital gown. You will meet your anesthesiologist (the doctor who will provide your anesthesia) and other members of your surgical team who will answer any questions and ask you to sign or confirm the consent forms.
• It is helpful to designate a family spokesperson, so the health care staff can update your condition to them during or after your surgery.
• We cannot share any medical information about you by phone to outside callers. Family or friends may wait for you in the surgical waiting area located on the 2nd floor of ambulatory building.
• COVID-19 negative test results are required within the required validated period (follow pre-surgery patient instruction by your nurse) for both you and any of your significant others accompanying you in the hospital.
1. Anesthesia:
• You will be receiving care from the anesthesia team who will keep you comfortable and pain-free. Inside the operating room, you will be introduced to your care team, you will be asked to participate in our safety checks, and then your anesthesia will be administered.
• Your anesthesiologist will use multimodal pain control regimens to help reduce your pain and discomfort. The multimodal pain control regimens will be adjusted according to its efficacy and if any adverse event occurs.
• Immediately after waking up, you may feel dizzy or sometimes nauseous. Your anesthesiologist will be by your side to provide further medication and treatment. This discomfort will gradually go away while you recover.
Staffing: Your Surgical Team usually includes the followingmembers:
• Surgeon, who is responsible for your overall care, leads your surgical team.
• A surgical assistant will be present when more than 1 doctor is necessary to perform your surgery.
• An anesthesiologist provides anesthesia or medication, and monitors vital signs.
• A scrub nurse sets up instruments and assists the surgeon.
• A circulating nurse prepares the OR, makes sure sterile methods are followed, and helps other team members.
The Equipment
• An IV (intravenous line) will be used to provide fluids to your body. When needed, medications and blood are also given through the IV. An IV feels like a pinprick when it is inserted.
• Monitors show your vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, heart rhythm, etc.).
Electrocardiography records your heart functions. It is connected by wires to round, sticky patches that are placed on your upper body.
A pulse oximeter, placed on your finger, monitors your blood’s oxygen level.
Blood pressure cuff is placed on your arm to monitor your blood pressure.
There will be surgical lights overhead and other equipment around you in the room to help in your operation, and to make sure you are safe and comfortable.
1. In the PACU (Post-Anesthesia Care Unit)
After your surgery, you will wake up in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). Your nurse will check your blood pressure, pulse and incision frequently. The nurse will ask you about your pain and make sure you are comfortable. You will stay here for several hours until you are fully wake.
You may have:
• An oxygen mask over your face
• An intravenous line giving you fluids and medicine
• When you are ready, you will be discharged from the PACU to either go home or be admitted to a hospital room, depending on your level of recovery and the type of procedure that was performed.
• If you are discharged to go home, be sure to have an adult friend or family member drive you home after surgery.
• If you are admitted to the hospital for further observation, your family can visit you once you are in the ward.
Pain Control
Most patients will experience some pain or discomfort after surgery, but it should never be unbearable. At Jiahui Health, your anesthesiologist manages pain relief during your surgery and afterwards. Our goal is for every patient to be comfortable enough to take deep breaths and move as needed because this helps your recovery process.
Your PACU nurse will ask you to describe your pain using a scale numbered between 0 to 10. 0 means no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine. The goal is to keep your pain level below 3.
You may receive medicine through your IV or by mouth to help control your discomfort. Please let us know if you have uncontrolled pain.
Eating
Food may be hard to digest after surgery. So, you may have an IV for fluid and nutrition when you are in the hospital. You will start by drinking some water in PACU after you fully wake up. Usually your digestive function will return to normal 4-6 hours after surgery. Your doctor will give you specific orders about eating and drinking at home.
Discharge: You will be ready to go home when you have reached the following goals:
• Your pain is well-controlled.
• You are able to walk without assistance.
• You are able to drink water without too much nausea.
• You are able to use the bathroom on your own. If you have trouble to urinate please let your doctor or nurse know and they will help you.
3. Recovering at Home
Most patients improve each day following surgery. You will gradually feel stronger and become more active. It is important to keep your follow-up appointments with your doctor, even if you are
feeling well.
Pain Control
It is common to have discomfort after surgery. You may have discomfort from the incision and muscle aches. Getting up and moving around can ease some of the discomfort. Take your pain medications as ordered. Some medicine may upset an empty stomach. To prevent nausea, we recommend you take the medicine with food. If you are taking narcotic pain medication or sleeping medication, please do not drink any alcohol. You should not drive any vehicles while taking narcotics.
Diet
• Eat foods which are easy to digest such as clear liquids, soup or broth, and crackers.
• Slowly change to normal solid food and avoid fatty foods until your digestion returns to normal.
• Increase fiber and fluids if you get constipated.
Early activity such as walking, deep breathing, coughing, and turning can speed up your recovery and increase circulation to decrease complications such as blood clots, pneumonia and poor wound healing, etc. To avoid falling, ensure there is someone with you when you first start to exercise. You might experience dizziness if you move or change positions too quickly.
Gradually increase your activities as follows:
• Avoid heavy lifting, not more than a 4 liter bottle of water.
• Avoid strenuous exercise or sports for 6 weeks after major surgery.
• You should not drive for 24 hours after receiving general anesthesia. After that, do not drive until you can do so without discomfort and without using prescription pain medicine. This can take from 3 to 7 days.
• You may shower and wash your hair one day after surgery.
• It is important to keep your incision clean and dry to prevent infection. Wear comfortable clothing.
• Leave any covering over the incision in place for a week unless otherwise instructed.
• If you want to take a shower, it is better to wait until a day following surgery using a waterproof wrapper to cover your incision. When you have a shower, please care for the incision as follows:
◦ Always wash your hands before and after touching your incision.
◦ If the dressing is wet after the shower, please change the wet dressing. Pat the incision dry with a clean towel, rather than rubbing. You may use a hair dryer on low heat to dry your incisions.
◦ Do not soak the incisions in a tub till the wound is completely healed.
◦ Do not use lotions, cream or ointments on the wound unless they have been ordered by your doctor.
• Call immediately if a large amount of fluid starts to drain or redness develops.
Constipation
It is common to not have a bowel movement for several days after surgery. Some pain medications can also cause constipation. To help your bowels stay regular:
• Drink more liquids
• Eat more whole grains, fruits and vegetables
• Get regular exercise (a 15-minute walk is a good start)
• Take stool softeners
Follow-up Visit
• You will receive a phone call from the hospital within 24 hours after your surgery to make sure you are doing well. The nurse who calls you is available to answer any of your questions.
• Please come back for your follow-up visit on time as instructed by your surgeon.
When to Call Your Doctor
Please contact your doctor if you notice any of the following:
• Temperature over 38℃ (100.2°F), chills or sweats
• Drainage or fluid from the incision that continues or is foul-smelling
• Increased tenderness or soreness at the wound
• Wound edges that are no longer together
• Redness or swelling at the wound site
• Difficulty urinating or urinary frequency, urgency, or burning
• Worsening pain
• Chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness
• Unable to drink fluids or keep fluids down
• If you do not feel well, or just aren’t sure whether your symptoms are normal
If you have any questions, you can call our 24/7 hotline number:4008683000
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