Your surgery will be performed as an outpatient at the Meridian Plastic Surgery Center, unless otherwise arranged. An overnight stay is still considered outpatient.

• Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before surgery (including the morning of surgery). This includes water.

• You may be asked to have lab work and an EKG done prior to surgery. If this is necessary, you will be given orders for the tests. Please have the tests done two weeks prior to your surgery date, unless instructed otherwise. If you take a “water pill”, such as Lasix, Maxzide, HCTZ, or a potassium supplement, a Potassium level will need to be drawn before surgery.

• For your convenience, you will receive several medication prescriptions in advance of your surgery. These will be sent to your pharmacy of choice via electronic prescribing 3-5 days prior to your surgery. Please be sure to pick up your medications prior to your surgery date.

• In order to help diminish the amount of swelling and discoloration following surgery, we recommend you purchase several items from the drug store and take them as follows: Multivitamins (to be taken daily), Vitamin C 500 mg (to be taken daily), and Arnica Montana (take as directed on the bottle). Start these approximately one week before surgery.

• Do not take herbal supplements, weight loss preparations, green tea, or nutraceuticals (excluding those we have instructed you to take) for 2 weeks before surgery. You have been given a list of the most common herbals, but every unsafe medication cannot be listed. Please call your surgery coordinator if you have any questions.

• If you take insulin or oral medication for diabetes, discuss this with your doctor. Most of your usual prescribed medications should be taken on the morning of surgery with a small sip of water. (Most notably: blood pressure medications and heart medications.) Stop use of any blood thinner medications, such as Plavix, Coumadin, aspirin, Motrin, Aleve, and ibuprofen products. 

• Please bring all of your prescribed medications with you the day of surgery, especially if you are staying overnight. Inhalers for asthma, blood pressure medications, and heart medication are especially important.

• If you have been prescribed a narcotic pain medication, please be aware that use of these drugs can cause constipation. Do not allow yourself to become constipated. Drink plenty of water, add high fiber foods to your diet, start stool softeners before surgery and/or use a laxative, if needed.

• Please contact us immediately for further instructions if you develop a cold, sore throat, cough, fever blisters, or any skin eruption of the face. None of these necessarily mean your surgery will need to be postponed or cancelled, but we may wish to give you some additional instructions.

• Do not smoke for 4 weeks before/after surgery. We will perform a urine nicotine test on you the day of surgery. If it is positive, your surgery will be cancelled. This includes using Nicotine gum, lozenges, and patches. Smoking and nicotine adversely affect healing after surgery. Smoking and nicotine use before and after surgery can result in detrimental post-operative complications including, but not limited to: infection, wound disruption (opening of the surgical site), and loss of skin grafts.

• You will need to arrange for a friend or family member to pick you up after surgery and plan to stay with you the night of surgery. It is imperative that you not be alone following surgery. For safety reasons you may not use a taxi/Uber or other driving service to take you home after surgery.

• Please wear comfortable clothing the day of surgery. Loose-fitting, stretchy clothes are the best. Also, wearing a zip-up or button-up shirt/blouse is recommended. All outer clothing will be removed, and you will be provided with a surgical gown to wear during surgery.

• On the day of surgery, before coming to the surgery center, please remove makeup and hair products, false eyelashes, wigs, hairpieces, contact lenses and jewelry. We prefer you leave these items at home.

• Facial surgery patients: You may bring a scarf, sunglasses, or other articles to cover your dressings. It is best not to have a perm or hair coloring within 7 days prior to surgery, and please wait 4 weeks after surgery before applying these treatments.

Please keep a copy of these instructions and feel free to contact your surgery coordinator should you have any questions. Written post-operative instructions have been included in your packet and will again be provided the day of surgery. For the Nursing Line, please call (317) 575-0336 extension 168, between the hours of 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM., Monday-Thursday and 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM Friday.

These instructions have been given to you in advance of your surgery with your safety and well-being in mind. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in the cancellation of your surgery.

If you should need to postpone your surgery for any reason, please kindly contact us immediately so that we may allow someone else the opportunity to have your time.

Be assured that we will do everything within our power to make your surgical experience as convenient and comfortable as possible.

Click here to download the Pre-Surgery Instructions for Outpatient Surgery