ADELAIDE AMBULATORY DAY SURGERY
“THE RIGHT PATIENT HAVING THE RIGHT PROCEDURE IN THE RIGHT FACILITY WITH THE RIGHT ANAESTHETIC GOING HOME TO THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT”
The day surgery is exclusively designed to perform foot surgery safely and effectively, maintaining the highest quality of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards Second Edition and licensed by SA Health as a private day procedure center.
General Pre-Surgical Information: Intravenous Sedation
Please read this information carefully
- It is very important that you do not eat nor drink anything from six hours prior to your admission time. Fasting will need to be continued between your admission time and the commencement of your operation. If you are thirsty you may have a small sip of water or suck on an ice cube. You should also take your usual prescription medication at the normal times unless told otherwise.
- Patients will usually remain in day surgery recovery for approximately 1 hour following any operation. As operation timing is quite variable, it is advisable to telephone your designated driver after your operation to arrange a suitable pick up time.
- Please arrange to have someone else drive you home from the day surgery.
- Bring to the day surgery:
- X-rays (if you have them)
- Your private health insurance card
- Any medication you are currently taking
- Avoid bringing any valuables
- Please notify the day surgery if you have any specific dietary requirements (eg Kosher, vegetarian, vegan, low fat, gluten free etc.)
Your Anaesthetic Choices
For Foot And Ankle Surgery
Anaesthesia for foot & ankle surgery has come a long way, with intravenous sedation (IV) and inhalational sedation providing significant safety benefits over general anaesthesia.
Anaesethesia for your foot surgery involves one or a combination of the following to ensure you are sleepy and very relaxed during surgery:
IV Sedation
At Adelaide Ambulatory Surgical Suite we engage a registered specialist anaesthetist who work in conjunction with your podiatric surgeon. Your anaethetist will give you a medicine in the vein of your arm (IV) to relax you (sedation). An injection to block the region that you are having surgery on will then be administered. You will not be aware or recall that this has occured because of the sedative effects of the IV medicine.
IV sedation is safe as it is controlled and produces a deeper level of anaesthesia, providing a comfortable experience with minimal level of memory afterwards. The level of sedation can be customised to each individual’s needs. This helps you have minimal memory of the procedure while at the same time you are controlling your own breathing, can follow simple commands and be responsive when needed.
With IV sedation most patients:
- Feel less drowsy after surgery
- Experience a clean faster recovery for same day discharge
- Have excellent pain control both during and after the surgery
- Are less likely to have nausea, vomiting or a sore throat
Prior to appointing patients for IV sedation, a thorough medical review is done by the surgeon and the specialist anaesthetist to determine your suitability and medical fitness for the procedure.
Penthrox Inhalation
Penthrox is often referred to as the ‘green whistle’ and is also used by ambulance officers to provide immediate antianxiety and analgesic effect in case of emergencies and accidents. The drug used here is called Methoxyflurane and is delivered as inhalation through the specially designed green device. It is safe to use, even in pregnancy, young adults alike, as it is a single use, one-off medication and is quickly eliminated from the body.
Patients with mild anxiety benefit from the use of Penthrox, as it is easy to use, nonthreatening and you are in control of the device in your hand. This allows you to moderate how much you actually need to use. It lasts for about 45 minutes with continued use.
Regional, Nerve or Ankle Block
A regional or ankle nerve block that numbs the foot and prevents pain during and after the surgery can be performed with or without IV sedation or the use of the Penthrox inhaler.
You will be discharged home on the day of your operation and you will remain comfortable due to the nerve block you received. The effects of the block will start to wear off during the evening or overnight, depending on the time that the block was performed. For optimal pain control, you should begin taking the pain pills prescribed to you by your surgeon before going to bed or as you begin to regain sensation. Be sure to take the medication with a light snack,
as nausea is a common side effect of pain pills.
Discharge after Surgery
Planning for your return home care after discharge is important in your recovery. Having family or friends support you is something that you will need to consider and plan for before surgery. Your surgeon will discuss
some of these requirements with you.
Adelaide Ambulatory Day Surgery is committed to providing you with the safest and highest quality of care. To ensure this continues after you leave the facility, the Australian & New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and Adelaide Ambulatory Day Surgery recommend the following:
- Not to drive after your procedure for 24 hours or as advised by your surgeon/& or anaethetist
- You must make arrangements for a responsible adult to drive you home
- If you are living alone you must make arrangements for a responsible adult (>18 years) to care for you overnight
- You should stay within a 1 hour journey of a medical facility following your discharge
- Please discuss alternatives if the options above are not possible
Open Disclosure
At Adelaide Ambulatory Day Surgery we respect the right for every patient to be treated with care, consideration and dignity. We are also committed to improving the safety and quality of care we deliver. Our policy of open
disclosure assists patients when they are unintentionally harmed by their healthcare.
Further information is available for you to read about the ‘Open Disclosure’ process. Please refer to the administration staff who can provide you with a pamphlet ‘Open Disclosure of things that don’t go to plan: A Guide For Patients’.
Falls Prevention
If you are over 64 years of age and have a history of slips and falls you are at an increased risk of slipping while you are in our facility. This may be heightened by the fact that you have just had intravenous sedation and in the case of podiatric surgery, one of your feet may be completely or partially numb due to the ankle or nerve block.
For further information please refer to our administration staff who can provide you a ‘Falls prevention: Information for patients and carers’ brochure.
- Bring & use your walking aid or frame with you
- Wait for the nurse to assist you if you need support with walking
- You will be assisted following your surgery by our staff. After discharge they will accompany you in a wheelchair to your car
Location
Adelaide Ambulatory Day Surgery is located on the first floor of the East Adelaide Medical
Centre at 50 Hutt Street, Adelaide on the corner of Flinders Street and Hutt Street.
Our location page has detailed information about how to locate us and where to park.