You’ll be admitted to hospital on the day of your surgery.
The hospital staff will get you to fast for at least 6 to 8 hours before your surgery. Some hospitals will allow you to drink water or clear fluids up to 2 hours before your surgery. (Please check with your hospital.) Your stomach needs to be empty to reduce your likelihood of vomiting, which could cause pneumonia.
Depending on the type of procedure, you may go home the same day or spend one or more days in hospital.
Waiting to go into the operating theatre
Expect to wait around for a while, as you may not be first on your doctor’s surgery list.