Planning Your Surgery

Because Dr. Sanderson understands a properly informed patient will have a better surgical experience, he dedicates much time and effort to communicate effectively. Below we focus on the details of the numerous topics requiring attention in the pre-surgical and post-surgical period.

To Schedule a Consultation: Call the office (972-691-7900) and one of the friendly staff at the Flower Mound Center for Plastic Surgery will be happy to schedule your initial consultation or you can utilize this website to schedule an appointment online. Our staff checks the website every morning for new appointments.

Before Your First Appointment: Dr. Sanderson will carefully consider your past medical and past surgical history during your initial consultation. Prior to your first visit you will receive an email with a link to our patient portal in our electronic medical record. This will allow you to enter your medical history information over the internet into our secure site in the comfort of your own home. If you prefer, you can wait until your office visit to complete this information. As a courtesy to patients waiting to get in to see Dr. Sanderson, please notify the office as soon as possible if you are unable to make a scheduled appointment.

The Surgical Costs and Payment Options: Upon completion of your initial consultation Dr. Sanderson’s office manager will provide you with a quote for the procedure. The quote will include the base cost for the surgery including the fee for anesthesia, the facility fee and any charge for implants that may be required. This avoids hidden fees and aggravating, unexpected bills from various groups after cosmetic surgery. Learn about financing options here.

Preparation

The Pre-Surgical Work Up: Safety is the number one priority during elective surgery. All patients will need some basic lab work before undergoing surgery. These need to be performed within 30 days of surgery and can be completed at your primary care physician’s office, an out-patient lab or at the hospital. Please fax these results to: (972) 691-7910.

Depending the patient’s medical history and the procedure other tests may be required as including mammogram, EKG, CXR (chest x-ray), a pregnancy test. Some patients may need a surgical clearance letter from their primary care physician as well.

Pre-surgical Office Visit: After the completion of the pre-operative tests and lab work some patients may have more questions and prefer another visit prior to proceeding to the operating room. During this visit Dr. Sanderson will review your lab work with you, review the operative plan and discuss your pre-operative pictures with you. You will also receive your pre-operative paper work, instructions and prescriptions. Your first follow up visit can be arranged as well.

Common Postoperative Medications: Like most surgery, cosmetic surgery requires a variety of medications to help smooth the recovery process. These can be picked up before surgery to make the transition from hospital to home less stressful.

  • Antibiotics – Augmentin or Keflex – both are to help prevent an infection at the surgical site
  • Anti-nausea – Zofran – an excellent anti-nausea medicine and it will not make you sleepy
  • Phenergan – also really effective at alleviating nausea but will make you drowsy
  • Stool Softener – Colace – this will help prevent the constipation which frequently occurs with the anesthesia medications during surgery and pain medicine after surgery
  • Pain Medications – Percocet or Vicodin – both are effective pain relievers
  • Muscle Relaxers – Valium

Final Thoughts

  • Do not eat anything after midnight the night before surgery. Having food in your stomach can lead to aspiration during the induction of anesthesia.
  • If you smoke, now is the time to quit. Tobacco decreases the blood supply to the skin by approximately one-third leading to poor incision healing and the risk of wound breakdown. Even stopping 2-3 weeks before surgery can make a difference
  • Ambulate regularly after surgery. This will help avoid blood clots in the veins in the legs.
  • Call Dr. Sanderson’s office with any unanswered questions.

Coming from Out of Town

Because plastic surgery is a personal choice, people often leave their hometown to see plastic surgeons in other cities. This allows patients to recover away from the stresses of everyday life and without having to answer questions from friends or family. Your initial consultation can be arranged via Skype or iChat or with the traditional office visit a few days before your surgery. Flower Mound Center for Plastic Surgery is conveniently located 20 minutes north of DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth) Airport with many beautiful hotels in the area. If this is something you are considering then call (972-691-7900) and we will help you work out the details as well as give you recommendations on where to stay.