Preparing for Your Procedure
Your guide to the days before a procedure under local anaesthetic. Your quotation, admission letter and the instructions your surgeon gives you are personal to you and always take priority over this page.
Preparation
Your guide to the days before a procedure under local anaesthetic. Your quotation, admission letter and the instructions your surgeon gives you are personal to you and always take priority over this page.
This stage at a glance
- •No fasting and no pre-assessment appointment
- •Prescribed medicines continue; blood thinners are discussed in advance, never stopped by you
- •A lift home is a comfort choice with local anaesthetic alone, and a requirement with a sedative tablet
- •Your admission letter overrides anything on this page
Checklist
- Keep taking your prescribed medicines as normal unless we have told you otherwise
- If you take a blood thinner (for example warfarin, clopidogrel, apixaban, rivaroxaban, or aspirin prescribed by a doctor), tell us in advance and do not stop it yourself
- Stop over-the-counter ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen and supplements about 10 to 14 days before, unless a doctor has prescribed them
- Arrange a lift home if you would feel more comfortable, or if your surgeon has asked you to
- If you have been given a sedative tablet for the day, arrange for an adult to take you home
- Plan a quiet day or two afterwards; most people are back to normal activities quickly
- Tell us before the day if you are unwell, or if anything about your health has changed
What to Expect
- No fasting: eat and drink normally beforehand, avoiding a very heavy meal just before
- No pre-assessment appointment is needed for a local-anaesthetic procedure
- Your admission letter with your arrival time
- A shorter visit than for a general anaesthetic, and home the same day
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to fast?
No. Eat and drink normally, though you may prefer to avoid a heavy meal immediately beforehand. If you are also having a sedative tablet, follow the instructions in your letter.
Can I drive home?
After local anaesthetic alone, you may drive once you feel completely normal and alert, usually after one to two hours, unless the procedure is near your eyes or you have been told otherwise. If you have had a sedative tablet, you must not drive and an adult should take you home.
Do I need someone to stay with me overnight?
Not usually after local anaesthetic alone. If you have had a sedative tablet, or your surgeon has asked for it, arrange for an adult to take you home and stay with you.
Should I stop my medicines?
Keep taking prescribed medicines as normal unless we tell you otherwise. Do not stop a prescribed blood thinner yourself; tell us about it in advance so your surgeon can advise. Paracetamol as the label says is fine.
I'm a smoker. Does it matter for a local procedure?
Yes. Smoking slows healing, so stopping for a couple of weeks either side gives the wound the best chance. The longer you stop, the better you heal.
Next Steps
- Tell us in advance about any blood thinners or changes to your health
- Arrange a lift home if you would like one, and an adult to take you home if you are having a sedative tablet
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing on the day and leave jewellery at home
- Keep your admission letter to hand: its instructions override this page
Continue to the next stage:
Procedure Day