Preparations prior to surgery
Patients should give a full detailed history of their chronic diseases and medications before scheduling the operation date because unmanaged drug intake may lead to an unexpected outcome. Patients taking blood thinners such as aspirin, clopidogrel, heparin, and warfarin should be referred to a specialist to adjust their doses before cholecystectomy to avoid undesired bleeding.
Surgeons give patients some instructions to do before the surgery. Patients should have empty bowels during the surgery so they are asked not to eat for about a day before surgery. Usually, there is no restriction over drinking waters as patients are asked to get hydrated well before the surgery. beverages and soft drinks aren’t recommended before surgery. Patients are requested to take a shower the day before the surgery.
Immunocompromised patients as diabetics and old patients may be indicated to get prophylactic antibiotics to avoid infection that their immunity can’t fight on their own. Post-surgical infection isn’t a common complication of surgeries nowadays due to the high level of sanitation of the operation room so prophylactic antibiotics are optional, if so it should be a single dose an hour before surgery.
