Scheduled surgery time
A nurse will call you between 2 and 6 p.m. the day before your surgery to tell you what time to be at the hospital for your surgery. You will be called the Friday before if your surgery is on a Monday. Write the time down somewhere safe.
Please call 319-384-8039 if you do not get a call by 6 p.m.
We will do all we can to keep your surgery on time, but emergencies may change the schedule.
Bowel preparation
Most colon and rectal surgeries need a bowel prep, including oral antibiotics, before the surgery. This will help lower your risk of infection. If you do not finish your bowel prep, your surgery may be canceled. Your doctor will tell you if you need a bowel prep. If you do, you will get prescriptions for the prep in the clinic.
Please follow the directions. One of two things may happen:
- Your doctor may want you to have nothing to eat or drink after midnight the day of surgery. This will be in the preoperative instructions.
- Your doctor may approve you to drink a certain amount and kind of fluids the day before your surgery. Follow these rules very closely! Your surgery may be canceled if you do not. If you have food or liquid if your stomach, you can choke during surgery.
Day before surgery
Drink 27 ounces or 3 1/3 cups of Gatorade or apple juice. Drink this after the bowel prep. If you do not have to do a prep, finish drinking the liquids by midnight.
Noon: Start clear liquid diet
- Water
- Apple or white grape juice
- Plain broth
- Coffee or tea (do not use milk or creamer)
- Clear carbonated drinks such as ginger ale or lemon-lime soda
- Gatorade or other sports drinks
- Kool-Aid or other flavored drinks
- Popsicles
- Non-turbid clear protein beverages (Ensure Clear, Premier Protein, Fizzique, protein water)
- At 1 p.m.: Take Metronidazole (or Erythromycin) and Neomycin
- At 2 p.m.: Take Metronidazole (or Erythromycin) and Neomycin
- At 3 p.m.: Start drinking GoLYTELY, 1 cup every 10 minutes. Bowel movements usually start within an hour.
- Drink 27 ounces or 3 1/3 cups (800 mL) of Gatorade or apple juice. Drink this after the bowel prep. If you do not have to do a prep, finish drinking the liquids by midnight.
- At 11 p.m.: Take Metronidazole (or Erythromycin) and Neomycin
Other important reminders for colorectal surgery
- Follow the instructions you were given about your blood thinner and diabetes medicines.
- The night before your surgery, wash with soap you were given.
- Do not shave your abdomen (stomach) or pubic hair. Shaving before your surgery gives you a higher chance of getting an infection. A person from the health-care team will use clippers to get you ready for surgery if hair needs to be removed.