CARE PLAN PAGE

Our Care Plan

A diagram of a care plan for a patient journey.

Why is a Care Plan Important?

Your surgery is often only the start. Success requires not only surgical skill but also commitment by you and our team to achieve the results we all want.

This is why our team and postoperative care plan is essential.

Ongoing Care for Months and Years

You will be cared for by our team of highly experienced health professionals, whose goal is to help you get the most out of your procedure, you’ll have:

A schedule of postoperative check-ups,
Consultations with our dieticians/physios, exercise physiologist, speech pathologist ???
Regular support group meetings moderated by team members

No Extra Fees

Importantly, all many aspects of your aftercare are included in your once-off program fee – with no hidden charges, expiry dates and any other fees from us – ever.

We believe you should know exactly where you stand about your full treatment costs and will provide you with everything in writing.

Quality Guarantee

Furthermore, we stand by the quality of our procedures - in the unlikely event that you need a problem corrected down the track that is related to our treatment, you will not be charged any additional surgeon, anaesthetist or assistant fees. That's our quality guarantee.

Click here to read about:

Our Results
Out Treatment Options
What Our Patients Say

Support Groups

Support groups are a fantastic opportunity to improve your understanding on how to beat obesity.

We want our support groups to be small and non-threatening. They are a great way to meet others on the same journey.

It is an opportunity to share tricks, listen to how others have met challenges on their journey and maybe help with your own successes. Call the to learn when and where the next meeting is scheduled.

Your Initial Consultation

During your initial meeting our doctors will:

ask detailed information about your symptoms and history of your current and past ailments
Review any x rays, diagnostic reports or other documents
perform a thorough physical examination

To confirm a diagnosis other possible diagnostic investigations such as blood tests, imaging or surgical investigations may need to be required and arranged.

Condition Diagnosis

After reviewing the diagnostic results, [doctor] will either recommend appropriate treatment or need to discuss your various treatment options.

[doctor] will take time to explain your options for treatment.

Depending on the diagnosis your choice could include:

Watchful Waiting
Non-Surgical Approaches or
Surgery

It’s not uncommon to have questions or doubts. [doctor] encourage patients to seek clarification on any issue before you leave the clinic.

Treatment Plan

Where surgery is the chosen path, [doctor]'s aim is to provide you with all the information required to make an informed decision.

Information can include:

Planning and Preparation
Features and Benefits of the Procedure
Risks and Complications
Recovery and Outcomes

If you still have questions when you leave our rooms, please do not hesitate to contact us - we are here to help.

Details relating to costs, insurances and other logistics can be addressed by our staff.

Once it is decided that surgery will help you, a treatment plan is mapped. This also outlines what to expect both

from the surgery and
how to achieve the best post surgery results.

Preparing for Surgery

As you prepare for your surgery, it is important to be proactive.

Mental Preparation

Preparing mentally and physically for surgery is an important step toward a successful result. Before the surgery, you should make sure that you understand

what the surgery entails,
what to expect after surgery,
what role you play in your recovery, and
how you can help recover quicker and with fewer problems

Surgery Preparation

Before surgery, our doctors will give you a complete physical examination to make sure you don't have any conditions that could interfere with the surgery or its outcome.

Other pre-surgery activities could include your doctor:

Tests - Final tests, such as blood tests and X-rays, are usually performed a week before any major surgery.
Medications - Discuss any medications you are taking with your doctor and your family physician to see which ones you should stop taking before surgery.
Aspirin - If you are taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory medications, warfarin or any drugs that increase the risk of bleeding you will need to stop taking them one week before surgery to minimise bleeding.
Blood Bank - Discuss with your doctor options for preparing for potential blood replacement, including donating your own blood, medical interventions and other treatments, prior to surgery.
Weight Loss - If you are overweight, losing weight before surgery will help decrease the stress you place on your new joint. However, you should not diet during the month before your surgery.
Tobacco - If you smoke, you should stop or cut down to reduce your surgery risks and improve your recovery.
Gum Disease - Have any tooth, gum, bladder or bowel problems treated before surgery to reduce the risk of infection later.

Other Preoperative activities could include:

Diet - Eat a well-balanced diet, supplemented by a daily multivitamin with iron.
Infections -Report any infections to your surgeon. Surgery cannot be performed until all infections have cleared up,
Support - Arrange for someone to help out with everyday tasks like cooking, shopping and laundry.
Easy Reach - Put items that you use often within easy reach before surgery so you won't have to reach and bend as often.
Easy Access - Remove all loose carpets and tape down electrical cords to avoid falls. Make sure you have a stable chair with a firm seat cushion, a firm back and two arms.

Day Surgery

On the day of surgery, you will be under general anesthesia for the duration of your actual procedure. Go to the procedure page on this website.

If you are having Day Surgery, remember the following

You will not be able to drive for at least 24 hours.
Have someone available to take you home,
Do Not drink or eat anything in the car on the trip home. The combination of anaesthesia, food, and car motion can quite often cause nausea or vomiting.
After arriving home, wait until you are hungry before trying to eat. Begin with a light meal and try to avoid greasy food for the first 24 hours.

Day of Your Procedure

On the day of surgery, you will be under general anesthesia for the duration of your actual procedure.

Go to the procedure page on this website. Link to procedures page

Post Operative Hospital Recovery

After the surgery, you will wake up from the anaesthesia in a recovery room or intensive care unit (ICU).

Diet After Surgery

After the surgery, you will continue to receive fluids through the IV inserted in your arm until you are able to tolerate regular liquids. As proper nutrition is very crucial for your body to restore the damaged tissues and return to normal, your surgeon may either restrict what you drink and eat or place you on a special diet.

Your diet will be gradually changed from fluids to a regular diet.

Physical Movement

Physical activity in most cases will start on the first or second day itself after your surgery.

Your nurses and physical therapists will assist you with this activity until you feel comfortable enough to progress on your own.

Leaving Hospital

Before you are allowed to leave the hospital, your doctor will make sure that:

you have normal vital signs and bladder function,
you can eat without feeling nauseated and
there are no signs of infection at the incision site.

Remember to arrange for someone to take you home, as driving may not be recommended for several weeks following surgery

Recovery At Home

To help you with your home recovery, your surgical team will give you information on how to manage the next stage of your post operative recovery. These include:

What to Expect
Stages of Recovery
Timelines and Recovery Schedules
Movement Restrictions
Appropriate Diet
Post Operation Appointments
Contact Details in Case of Emergency

If unsure you should ask for clarifications and follow these instructions closely and diligently.

Post Operative Infection

If any of the following signs of infection are observed, you should call [doctor] immediately.

Signs of Infection include:

Fever higher than 101°F
Increase in redness or swelling around the incision(s)
Extra fluid drainage from the incision(s)
An opening of the incision has open areas along its length
Experiencing chills, nausea/vomiting
Suffering any type of trauma such as a fall or a car accident
Difficulty in urinating or controlling your bowel movements

Pain Management

After the surgery, pain medications and antibiotics are prescribed to control pain and prevent infection.

Take your pain medicine as directed. Begin the pain medicine as you start getting uncomfortable, but before you are in severe pain. If you wait to take your pain medication until the pain is severe, you will have more difficulty controlling the pain.

If you had surgery on an extremity (hand or elbow), keep that extremity elevated and use ice as directed. This will help decrease swelling and pain.

Wound Care

When you will be discharged, you will still have a surgical dressing on your incision(s). Dressings are usually left intact until the first post-operative appointment.

If there are issues with the dressings these may require earlier review with the surgeon or Local general practitioner

Post Operative Dos & Don't

We will also give you home-care instructions for the first 6 to 8 weeks of your recovery at home. These instructions are crucial include the following:

Get plenty of rest.
Abstain from smoking as nicotine slows bone healing.
Good nutrition is essential for a successful recovery. Eat a healthy diet, high in protein and rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and drink plenty of fluids.
Short walks for the first few weeks after the shoulder surgery are encouraged. Walking is a low impact exercise that builds strength and maintains muscle tone. The distance you walk can be gradually increased. Deep-breathing exercises are also helpful.
Most dressings are waterproof and showers can commence after surgery. Observe dressings regularly to ensure they are watertight.

Driving After Surgery

Check with your doctor when you are allowed to return to driving. You are not allowed to drive while wearing a sling or plaster.

Things to Avoid:

Avoid heavy, fattening foods and foods that are high in calories.
Avoid carrying or lifting anything heavier than 10 pounds.
Avoid bending at the waist. Rather, bend at your knees to pick up things. Also, avoid twisting the back
Avoid any strenuous activities. Even avoid vacuuming and more strenuous household cleaning.
Do not go swimming, golfing, running or participate in any other sports activity until your doctor permits.

Rehabilitation Program

Your post-operative Rehabilitation Program includes physical therapy.

Rehabilitation starts soon after your surgery and is very important to

regain strength, and
provide mobility

Your Rehabilitation Program schedule will be tailored for you specific requirements, but generally you may be able to:

perform gentle daily activities [NUMBER] days after surgery
perform progressive strength exercises [NUMBER] days after surgery
perform regular gym exercise [NUMBER] days after surgery

Our support team or physiotherapist will prepare an exercise program. Much of the exercise program can be done at home or at a gym, under your physiotherapist’s guidance.