Duration

If your operation is in the morning, please arrive at 8am and expect to be discharged no later than 1.30pm.

If your operation is in the afternoon, please arrive at 12noon and expect to be discharged no later than 5.30pm.

The above discharge times are approximate and may vary. You will be advised accordingly on admission but some waiting is expected. You are welcome to bring something in to keep you occupied.

Anaesthetic

As you are having a local anaesthetic, you will be awake throughout the procedure. You are welcome to bring in a personal stereo, iPad or a book to read. There is also a television in theatre you can watch if you would like to, with headphones and a radio option.

Please have something to eat and drink before arriving at the hospital on the day of your operation.

Medication

It is important you continue to take any medication as normal, unless otherwise advised. If you are on medication for asthma or angina, such as inhalers or nitrolingual spray, please bring these with you.

If you become unwell, have started treatment for another condition or are taking antibiotics for any reason in the weeks leading up to your surgery, please let us know as soon as possible.

Before you arrive:

• Please have a shower or bath
• Do not put any creams, lotions or talcum powder on your feet
• Remove nail varnish and artificial nails on fingers and toes.

Clothing

There is no need to bring nightwear as a hospital gown and dressing gown will be provided, although you may bring slippers if you wish.

Please wear loose fitting clothing, for example a skirt, shorts or wide legged trousers as the dressing applied after surgery will be bulky.

We will provide you with a surgical shoe to wear. Please bring a flat heeled shoe or trainer for your other foot.

Home support

Please arrange for someone to accompany you home from hospital. You will not be able to drive or use public transport.

Because you are not staying in hospital after your surgery, it is important you have someone to stay with you for the night and someone to look after you for a few days afterwards.

On arrival

You will be welcomed to the ward and a member of the team will take your details.

Once you have been admitted, you may be given an antibiotic tablet to take. This is to reduce the risk of getting an infection.

In order to prevent the risk of blood clots, you may also be required to self-administer a small injection for a period of time following your surgery. The podiatric surgeon will discuss this with you in detail as part of your treatment plan.

The local anaesthetic will be administered by the podiatric surgeon. Your foot or feet will be cleaned with an antiseptic solution and a tourniquet will be applied – usually around the ankle.

This is similar to a blood pressure cuff, inflated during surgery and is a means of keeping blood away from the site of the operation. This can sometimes feel tight and slightly uncomfortable to start with but the discomfort usually settles down.

In theatre

A member of the team will accompany you into theatre where a screen is fitted across the trolley and you will be settled into a position so that you do not see the surgery. There is a television with headphones available for you to use if you wish. If you prefer to listen to your own music, please bring your own personal equipment to do so. Mobile phones or recording devices are not permitted in theatre.

Following surgery

On your return to the ward, you will be offered a sandwich and drink.

You will be ready for discharge after one hour, during which time observations will be taken and a post-operative shoe fitted, if required.

Painkillers will be prescribed. You will be given any information you need.

When you are discharged, you will need to travel straight home sitting on the back seat of the car with your foot elevated. Someone must accompany you home and stay with you for 24 hours after your treatment. This should be an adult who can look after you.

Work

You will need complete rest for two to three days following surgery.

The length of time that you must take off will depend on your recovery and type of work. A period of between two and 10 weeks is expected, depending on the type of procedure. A sickness certificate will need to be provided by your podiatric surgeon.