The Day of Your Surgery

Your surgery will be undertaken at either Southern Cross Hospital North Harbour in Glenfield or North Shore Surgical Centre in Milford. The pre-operative information pack that we provide will let you know where and when to arrive on the day of your surgery.

You must not eat or drink anything except for water for at least 6 hours prior to surgery, so that you have a safe anaesthetic. Generally, you can drink small amounts of water up to 2 hours before your surgery. These instructions will all be included in your pre-operative information pack.

Where your surgery will happen

Southern Cross Hospital

232 Wairau Road, Glenfield, Auckland 0627

Phone: 09 925 4400

 

North Shore Surgical Centre

213 Shakespeare Road, Milford, Auckland 0620

Phone: 09 953 9300

 

What Will Happen in hospital

Once you arrive at your hospital, the nursing staff will complete your admission paperwork and will help you get changed into hospital clothes. You will then be taken to the pre-operative holding bay, where Dr. Boyle, his anaesthetist and hospital support staff will meet you. You may bring a support person with you into the pre-operative holding bay, however they will not be able to come into the operating room itself.

In the pre-operative holding bay, Dr. Boyle will speak with you about your surgery and will sign his initials on your arm or leg with a special pen in order to confirm the correct surgical site. Your anaesthetist will place an IV line (a drip). Dr. Boyle and his hospital staff will undertake repeated checks to ensure your safety, including asking you to confirm your identity, your surgery and any drug allergies that you may have.

Once all of the pre-operative checks and paperwork are complete, one of Dr. Boyle's nurses or technicians will escort you into the operating room. The operating room often seems very bright and cool, and will be full of friendly people and complicated equipment. You will have your identity checked again, and then will be helped onto the surgical bed, where you will be covered with warm blankets and given intravenous medication to help you relax. You will then breathe oxygen through a soft mask, a general anaesthetic will be administered through your IV line, and you will gently fall asleep. While you are asleep, Dr. Boyle's anaesthetist may administer a special local anaesthetic block to help with your post-operative pain relief.

Your Anaesthetic

Dr. Boyle works with several expert anaesthetists. You will meet your anaesthetist on the day of your surgery when you come in to hospital. They will discuss your anaesthetic options with you. For some of the surgeries that Dr. Boyle performs, such as shoulder arthroscopy, a special local anaesthetic block in addition to general anaesthesia may be recommended. If you have particular concerns about your anaesthetic, please let us know so that we schedule sufficient time for you to discus these with your anaesthetist prior to your surgery.

  • You must not eat or drink anything except water for at least 6 hours before surgery, to ensure a safe anaesthetic. Small amounts of water are generally fine up to 2 hours beforehand. Exact timing will be confirmed in your pre-operative information pack.

  • Yes. A support person can accompany you into the pre-operative holding bay, though they won't be able to come into the operating room itself.

  • Dr Boyle will speak with you and mark the correct surgical site on your arm or leg. Your anaesthetist will place an IV line, and staff will perform repeated safety checks, including confirming your identity, the planned surgery, and any drug allergies, before you're taken into the operating room.

  • Typically, you'll meet your anaesthetist on the day itself when you arrive at hospital, and they'll discuss your anaesthetic options with you at that time. If you have specific concerns, let the clinic know in advance so extra time can be scheduled to discuss them properly.

  • Surgery is performed at either Southern Cross Hospital in Glenfield or North Shore Surgical Centre in Milford. Your pre-operative information pack will confirm exactly which location and arrival time apply to you.