Surgery as outpatient

[Livingstonguy]

I'm scheduled to have my implant Thursday, Dec 22. I'm having it as outpatient surgery and my wife will be removing my drains and catheter since my Dr will be gone on the 23rd for Christmas. (She's a nurse practitioner). I'm curious how common is it to have the surgery outpatient? Thanks in advance

[profirefight]

I don’t have an answer to your question but I’m sure someone will chime in… I see you’re in TN. May I ask if you’re having the surgery done in Nashville? Name of doctor?

[Artpe54]

I stayed overnight, had my catheter and drain removed the next day and went home late afternoon.

[Flounder]

I'm scheduled to have my implant Thursday, Dec 22. I'm having it as outpatient surgery and my wife will be removing my drains and catheter since my Dr will be gone on the 23rd for Christmas. (She's a nurse practitioner). I'm curious how common is it to have the surgery outpatient? Thanks in advance

I had mine done outpatient and think it’s very common to do so. Mine was in the morning and around 2:00 PM we were in the car heading home. My wife drove and I was reclined in the passenger seat with ice packs. The discharge nurse gave me two fresh ice packs on the way out the door.

[Jage64]

Not all surgeons require catheters, and not all surgeons install drains.

I'll be having an implant in a few months, no catheter, no drains. I'll be in surgery in the morning, at my hotel room that afternoon and on an airplane home 48 hours after installation.

[AmansinCali]

Lguy,

I had the option to spend the night or get discharged then report back at 8 AM the next morning. We were staying in a hotel a few miles from the hospital so I said I would do the outpatient thing. Later I spoke with the nurse a couple days before the surgery and she said she thought it would be best for me if I spent the night, the insurance will pay for it. So, that is what I did and I am so glad I stayed. I was on IV all night, my catheter bags was emptied a couple times, every 8 hours I got a pain pill, and Tylenol between doses. I got to order anything I wanted for breakfast and I was totally pain free, and I didn't even have to get out of that bed. I was really glad I stayed overnight, and it really unloaded my untrained wife.

Best of luck, either way you are doing the right thing, you are going to love it.

[KeithC]

I had mine done outpatient and it was no big deal going home. I took the catheter out by myself in a shower stall the following morning. Again no big deal.

The procedure WAS a big deal but going straight home to bed and to sleep in my own bed was easy.

I really didn't see a need for an overnight stay unless there were complications.

[gjmjoe017]

I'm scheduled to have my implant Thursday, Dec 22. I'm having it as outpatient surgery and my wife will be removing my drains and catheter since my Dr will be gone on the 23rd for Christmas. (She's a nurse practitioner). I'm curious how common is it to have the surgery outpatient? Thanks in advance

Had mine outpatient and was two hours to get home,I had absolutely no problems!

[robcb1]

Got my implant as an outpatient. Reported to the surgery center at 6:00am and was at home in bed by noon. Never had a catheter. Did have a drain. I emptied the drain myself several times and reported to my doctor’s office the next afternoon to have the drain removed. That felt strange, but it wasn’t painful. Recovery was uncomfortable early on, but not so painful that I needed more than the Gabapentin, Mobic and Tylenol my doctor prescribed. Activated three weeks from the day of surgery. That was four months ago. This was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

[Livingstonguy]

I don’t have an answer to your question but I’m sure someone will chime in… I see you’re in TN. May I ask if you’re having the surgery done in Nashville? Name of doctor?

Dr Dean Knoll is doing mine. Between implants and AUS, he's done about 7000