Having an operation - The day of the operation

Your admission letter from the hospital will tell you the date and time of your operation and what time you need to arrive.

It should also tell you which ward or department you're going to be in, a contact number for your hospital or ward and the consultant who will be taking care of you.

When you arrive, you'll be welcomed by a member of staff, who will explain the processes to you and give you an identity bracelet to wear during your stay in hospital.

During your time in hospital, you may be asked the same questions by several people. This is routine, and ensures that correct information about you is checked and available at each stage of treatment.

Medication

Take any medicines your doctor asked you to take before surgery. However, if you normally take tablets or insulin for diabetes, make sure you discuss this with your specialist as soon as possible before your operation.

You'll be asked whether you're allergic to any medication or whether any relatives have ever had any problems with an anaesthetic, so suitable precautions can be taken.

Company and visitors

Family or friends can usually stay with you until you leave for the operating theatre, at which point they can wait for you in the waiting room.

Check your hospital's policy on visiting times, and read more about visiting someone in hospital.

Just before the operation

You’ll be asked to change into a hospital gown, and the details of the operation will be explained. You'll then be asked to sign a consent form giving your permission for surgery to go ahead. This form indicates you know what the surgery is for, and you understand the risks, benefits and alternative treatments.

For some operations, a needle connected to a drip will be injected into your hand, allowing fluids, nourishment and medicine to be given while you're under anaesthetic.

Anaesthesia

You will be given an anaesthetic so you won’t feel any pain during the operation.

A general anaesthetic will be needed for a major operation, which means you'll be asleep throughout the whole operation. It will be given to you via an injection or gas, which you breathe through a mask.

There's no need to be anxious about having a general anaesthetic: the anaesthetist will be by your side the whole time you are asleep, carefully monitoring you, and will be there when you wake up.

If you don't need to be put to sleep, you'll be given a regional anaesthetic. This means you’ll be conscious throughout, but you won't feel any pain. It may be a local anaesthetic, where a small area is numbed, or an epidural, which reduces sensation in the upper or lower areas of your body.

Watch a video about anaesthesia for more information.

What happens next?

Read about what happens after surgery for information on recovering from an operation in hospital and going home.