Kathryn's Story
Read how Gynecologic Surgery ERAS helped Kathryn recover quickly.
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)
Gynecologic Surgery ERAS
New Patient Appointment or 214-645-8300
Gynecologic surgery involves the female reproductive organs, including the vagina, uterus, cervix, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. These procedures, which can be minimally invasive, include hysterectomies, exploratory laparoscopies, and myomectomies.
Our gynecologic surgery ERAS program is designed to help patients return to health more quickly after undergoing the surgery.
Goals
- Make this an ideal surgical experience for you, the patient.
- Incorporate innovative pain medications to improve your postoperative pain control while decreasing your narcotic needs.
- Prevent potential surgical and anesthesia complications.
- Reduce the amount of time you’re in the hospital after surgery.
- Decrease your likelihood of having to return to the hospital after discharge.
Prior to Surgery
- Your surgeon will meet with you to explain surgical plans and set your expectations for surgery.
- Contact your surgeon via MyChart or call the surgical clinic with questions: 214-645-3838 (main campus); 214-692-3100 (Park Cities); 972-401-3200 (Las Colinas).
- We will call you to provide instructions for surgery and medications prior to surgery. You might also be scheduled for an appointment in our pre-surgical testing clinic to meet with our anesthesia team or have bloodwork drawn.
- We might request testing from your other physicians.
- Call our pre-surgical testing clinic with any questions: 214-633-4202.
- Lifestyle modifications:
- We encourage you to stop smoking and consuming alcohol for one month prior to surgery.
- We encourage you to increase your physical activity prior to surgery.
- Eat a balanced, healthy diet, and remain hydrated.
- On the night before surgery, do not eat solid foods after 11 p.m.
- Follow any instructions directly from your surgeon.
- You can drink clear liquids (such as water, Gatorade, or Sprite) up to two hours before your surgery start time.
- Drink either a bottle of water or a 20-oz. Gatorade on the way to the hospital, at least two hours before your surgery start time.
- In the pre-op area, you will receive oral non-narcotic pain medications (acetaminophen and gabapentin) to improve your postoperative pain.
During Surgery
- You will receive general anesthesia and be completely asleep during the procedure.
- Your anesthesia team will monitor you very closely while you are asleep and will insert additional intravenous (IV) lines or monitors if necessary.
- You will receive multiple medications during surgery to treat pain and nausea.
- There will be a specific and tailored anesthetic protocol to decrease the stress on your body, improve pain control, and accelerate your recovery.
- A nerve block or a catheter for continuous pain medication might be placed during the procedure. This is designed to decrease your postoperative pain and need for IV and oral pain medications.
Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) and After
- You will wake up in our post-anesthesia care unit (PACU).
- You will be asked to chew gum and ice chips and to drink clear liquids to help with recovery of bowel function.
- You will be given an incentive spirometer to help you to take deep breaths.
- Depending on your surgeon and procedure, you might go home the same day of surgery or be admitted to the hospital.
- Starting on the day of your surgery, we encourage you to get out of bed and walk with help from your nurse.
- Try to increase the distance and frequency of your walks each day; doing so will help your bowel function return to normal, prevent deconditioning, and speed up your recovery.
- Unless instructed otherwise by your nurse or surgeon, you will be able to eat a normal diet the day of your surgery. Continue to chew gum or hard candy as well.
- You will take scheduled non-opioid pain medications during your recovery and have narcotic medications available for breakthrough pain if necessary.