Checking In

If your surgery is scheduled to take place between 7 AM - 8:30 AM you will be asked to check in at the Outpatient Center located on Medical Center Drive two hours before your scheduled surgery time.

If your surgery is scheduled to occur after 8:30 AM, you will be asked to check in at the information desk in the Lundquist Tower two hours before your scheduled surgery time.

Pre-Operation Prep

In the pre-operative area, a registered nurse will help you get ready for your surgery. In this area you will:

  • Sign your informed consent. Read it carefully. It lists:
    • Your name
    • The kind of surgery you will have
    • The risks of your surgery
    • An acknowledgement that you have spoken with your doctor about the surgery and had an opportunity to ask questions
    • Your agreement to have the surgery
  • Change from your clothing into a hospital gown
  • Have an intravenous (IV) line started
  • (Possibly) have the site of your surgery clipped, shaved and scrubbed
  • Meet your anesthesiologist to discuss your anesthesia care
  • Meet other members of your surgical team

When It's Time for Your Surgery

Many patients are given medication to help them relax prior to their surgery. If you have this medication, don't be surprised if later on you don't remember anything about your arrival in the operating room.

Even so, you can feel confident knowing that the operating rooms at Torrance Memorial are busy places, where everyone is engaged in working to ensure that everything about your planned surgery procedure is safe. At all times, you will be taken care of by a team of professionals who are concentrating on you and working to ensure the best outcome from your planned procedure.

In the OR the lights are bright and the temperature is cool. Since it is important to your health that you stay warm during the surgery, we will provide warm blankets or a warming device. Your surgeon will have given you some broad guidelines about how long your surgery will take but be aware that length of the surgery and recovery time at the hospital may vary from one patient to another.

After Your Surgery

When your surgery is complete, you will remain under post-anesthesia supervision (constant care from a post-anesthesia care nurse). It's normal to experience a range of symptoms as the anesthetic wears off - for instance, you may be sensitive to loud noises, you may experience blurry vision or a dry mouth and you may have chills. Your nurse will continuously assess you for pain and administer medications as needed.