Before & After
Treatment Instructions....

Before Treatment
Due to a wide variety of procedures performed for vascular disease, no one pre-treatment set of instructions is available. Most procedures require discontinuing blood thinners, but this is not always the case. Patients are told not to eat or drink anything after midnight the night before the procedure; however, in some cases a light breakfast is allowed. Diabetics have specific requirements with regard to their insulin or other diabetic medications that may require consultation with the primary doctor or diabetologist.

Since there are so many variables, our staff of physicians, providers, nurses, and scheduling coordinators will review the procedure to be performed and give specific instructions that are appropriate for you.

If at anytime prior to your scheduled surgery/procedure you develop any of the following conditions, please alert our office:

• Unexplained Fever or Chills

• New onset of rash

• New sores or ulcers on skin

• Flu or Flu like symptoms

• Persistent nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea (for more than 2 days)

• If any other physician prescribes you an antibiotic for any type of infection

We want to prevent unnecessary cancellations of your surgery /treatment. If any of the above listed conditions exist, Summit Vascular Specialists must be notified prior to your arrival at the hospital.

Performing surgery/treatments when patients are ill could interfere with the safety of the procedure. Please notify our office the day before your surgery/treatment is scheduled if any of these conditions develop. Our physicians, providers, and nurse staff will evaluate the situation and determine if your surgery needs postponed or rescheduled.                                                                       (TOP)



After Treatment
Limited activity is advised after most vascular procedures. Depending on the procedure(s) performed, your physician may require you sustain from activity for a period of several days to several weeks.

Due to complexity, a minimally invasive procedure will require less recovery time than an extensive open surgical procedure. You will be given after-care instructions specific to your procedure prior to discharge. Most patients will have some discomfort at the site of their procedure and the appropriate pain medication will be prescribed. Medicines that alter platelet function (platelets enhance blood clotting) are utilized during most vascular procedures. These medications will stay in a patient’s blood for a short period of time. Because of this, patients will be advised on the use of over-the-counter medicines (like aspirin) upon leaving the hospital.

Special wound dressings are used following surgical procedures. Wound care will be explained by the doctors and nurses involved in your care. Keeping wounds clean and dry is almost always recommended. Excessive lifting and straining should be avoided following all open surgical procedures to avoid stress on the incision. If you feel there is something abnormal about your wound, we recommend that you call our office and you will be advised on the appropriate course of action.

Exercise in the form of daily walking is usually encouraged. While you may experience some disturbance in appetite after a surgical procedure, we encourage small amounts of food be taken frequently to improve and enhance recovery. A patient’s bowel function may take several days or weeks to completely normalize (primarily in the case of abdominal surgery). Getting back to normal daily activity will help.

All patients are unique individuals and every patient responds to a treatment/procedure differently. Summit Vascular Specialists physicians have extensive experience in the care of vascular patients following treatment. The treatment of vascular disease is complex and post procedure care is no exception. Success rates for most vascular procedures exceed 95%. If you have specific questions about post-treatment care, contact us at Summit Vascular Specialists and we will be happy to answer your questions.                     (TOP)