The care pathway
The day of surgery
What the day actually looks like, from arriving at the hospital to going home.
What to bring
Bring few things, but the right ones. Leave valuables at home: day surgery changing areas are not designed to keep them.
- Health insurance card and hospital card.
- Your list of medications and allergies.
- Your glasses rather than contact lenses.
- Any imaging and paperwork from your referring doctor, if you have them.
- Something to read: the waiting is often longer than the operation.
Waiting and preparation
You will be checked in, changed, and several people will ask you the same questions — your name, your date of birth, which side is being operated on. That repetition is deliberate: it is a safety check, not a lack of coordination.
The surgical site will be marked with you, on the correct limb, before you go into the operating room.
- Your arrival time is not the time of your operation; delays are common.
- Confirm the side yourself: your own check matters.
- Ask your questions now, while you are fully alert.
Anaesthesia
Hand surgery is often done under local anaesthesia or a nerve block, with or without light sedation, rather than a general anaesthetic. A block of the arm numbs the whole limb for several hours — sometimes into the following night.
A numb arm feels heavy and completely inert. It is disconcerting the first time, but it is normal and temporary.
- Support the numb arm in a sling: you will not feel it if it catches or knocks against something.
- Keep it away from heat and cold until sensation returns.
- Start your pain medication before the block wears off, rather than waiting for pain.
Going home
After day surgery you go home the same day, once you are awake, your pain is controlled, and you have your written instructions.
Read those instructions before you leave the hospital, and ask your questions while there is still someone there to answer them. You may not drive or travel home alone.
- Leave with your written instructions and the number to call if there is a problem.
- Check the date of your follow-up appointment before you leave.
- Do not drive or sign anything important for 24 hours after sedation.
Urgent
When to call, and who to call
Fingers that are cold, white or bluish, loss of sensation, severe and increasing pain that painkillers do not touch, a dressing that has become too tight, or bleeding that does not stop after ten minutes of pressure: go to the emergency department without waiting for a call back. For a fever, spreading redness or discharge, call the office the same day. If you are unsure, call 811.
Information on this site is general and does not replace a medical consultation. In an emergency, call 911.