Erikbhurstmd.com

PrEoPErativE PatiEnt
instructions For
skin surgEry
You are scheduled to have excision of a skin lesion in our office using local anesthesia – the same type used in a dental office. You will be able to drive to and from our office unless you have taken sedative medications around the time of the procedure. The following instruc-tions will help to answer any other questions you may have. If you have any specific ques-tions about your procedure please call to speak to our staff.
• Eating: You should have breakfast. If you are diabetic bring a snack and please advise Dr.
Hurst regarding medications for diabetes. • MEdications: Review the enclosed medication and herbal supplement precaution list.
Be sure to adhere strictly to the avoidance list. If you must be on Coumadin or Aspirin for medical indications, please contact your doctor about stopping these medications prior to the procedure if able. We ask that Aspirin be stopped 2 weeks prior to surgery. Coumadin may be stopped 4-5 days prior. Medications such as Advil® can be safely discontinued 4 days prior to the procedure. Tylenol® is safe to take before your procedure. Alcoholic beverages, if consumed regularly, especially in the three or four days before your procedure, can result in increased bleeding during the surgery. Other medicines can be continued. Please advise • sMoking: Smoking may cause poor healing especially on the face. Please cut down on
• Facial surgEry: Facial surgery will require a pressure dressing for 24 hours. After that the area
will be covered with flesh colored tape. Women should come to the office without makeup. There may be bruising if the procedure is near the eye or lips. Depending on the degree of public contact in your job, you may want to take one or two days off of work. We will provide • activity: You may be asked to abstain from certain sports activities for two weeks if those
activities will put any stretch or strain on the skin area being treated. Patients who do work involving lifting or bending who will be having surgery on legs, arms, or back may be restricted from performing these duties for 10 to 14 days. Please plan accordingly. Patients who perform physical work or physical activity that would put strain on the wound, please discuss with the doctor or staff before scheduling procedure. • Please arrive at the appointed time so that our nursing staff will have ample time for your
preoperative preparation. All patients will be in the office about one hour and a half. If we are performing frozen sections for Mohs, there will be a 30- to 60-minute waiting time for the result. In that case, you should plan on being in the office for three hours. Although we make every effort to start on time, procedures scheduled before you may be more complex than • suture removal is done after 4-7 days for facial surgery and 7 to 14 days for non-facial surgery.
If you will be out of town please let us know. • cancEllations: If your schedule changes let our office know at least a week in advance so
that another patient may be scheduled in your appointment time. Center for Dermatology • Erik B. Hurst, MD • 1000 Sushruta Drive, Martinsburg, WV 25401 Phone: (304) 263-3933 • Fax: (304) 596-5554 • CenterforDermatology@gmail.com MEdication PrEcautions For skin surgEry PatiEnts
These instructions are to be followed before and after your surgery. Do not take aspirin* or
alcoholic beverages for two weeks prior and one week after surgery. Tylenol can be safely
used for pain or headaches. If you are on any antirheumatoid, antiarthritic, circulation, or
anticoagulant medication (e.g. Plavix, Motrin, Naprosyn, Persantine, or Coumadin), please
inform us. For a two-week period prior to and 1 week after the scheduled date of your
surgery, please do not take any medication that contains aspirin or aspirin-related products,
such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) as an ingredient. Aspirin has an effect on your blood’s ability
to clot and could increase your tendency to bleed at the time of surgery and during the
postoperative period.
Please check the labels of all medications that you take, even those available without a prescription, to make sure you are not taking any aspirin or aspirin-like substances. Please consult your physician before stopping any prescribed medication. The following is a list of the common medications and substances that can increase your tendency to bleed: ** If you need minor pain medication, please take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or another non-aspirin medication. If you are allergic to acetaminophen (Tylenol) or unable to take it for other reasons, please notify us so that we might arrange for a suitable substitute. **Make sure you inform our doctor or nurse in advance of any special medical problems you may have such as a history of artificial heart valves, rheumatic fever, or heart murmur. Any of these may require pre and postoperative antibiotics. Also, please inform us if you are a hepatitis or HIV carrier. We would also like to know if you faint easily. Center for Dermatology • Erik B. Hurst, MD • 1000 Sushruta Drive, Martinsburg, WV 25401 Phone: (304) 263-3933 • Fax: (304) 596-5554 • CenterforDermatology@gmail.com

Source: http://www.erikbhurstmd.com/PatientInstruct.pdf