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Before Surgery

You may have 2 appointments before the day of your wide local excision and sentinel node biopsy surgery.

  • The first appointment is to make sure you are fit and safe for surgery (this is called the pre-anesthesia assessment).
  • Some patients also have a sentinel lymph node injection appointment before the day of surgery. Your surgeon's office will confirm if this applies to you. See Getting Ready for Surgery.

Pre-anesthesia Assessment

The pre-anesthesia assessment is an appointment that happens before you have your surgery. During this appointment a nurse will ask you about your medical history and the medications you take. The nurse will also talk to you about any special needs you might
have after your surgery.
  • The assessment may be done over the phone or in-person at the hospital.
  • Patients who don't have other medical conditions are usually assessed over the phone.
  • The pre-anesthesia clinic will phone to tell you whether you will have an assessment by phone or in-person at the hospital.
  • The pre-anesthesia clinic will also tell you the date and time of the appointment.

If you have a telephone assessment appointment:

  • Make sure the hospital has a phone number where you can be reached during the day.
  • The nurse will call your daytime number around the time of your appointment. Please keep in mind the nurse may fall behind schedule with other patients. The nurse may call you at any time within the hour of your scheduled appointment.

If you have an in-person hospital assessment appointment:

  • Please check-in at B-wing, 1st floor, room 11 (B1 11).
  • The visit will take place in the Pre-anesthesia Clinic and last about 2 hours.
  • You will meet with a nurse and may also meet with a pharmacist and the doctor (the anesthesiologist) who will put you to sleep in the operating room when you have surgery.
  • Please eat and take all your regular medications before you come to this appointment.

What do I need to bring to the in-person pre-anesthesia assessment appointment?

  • If you do not read or speak English, it is helpful to bring someone who will be your translator.
  • Please bring only 1 family member or friend to the appointment.

Please bring:

  • This booklet.
  • Your Ontario Health Card and your Sunnybrook card.
  • The name and telephone number of your family doctor.
  • The names and telephone numbers of any specialists who treat your medical conditions.
  • All of your medications in the containers they came in. These include pills, inhalers or puffers, injections, and eye drops. Also bring any herbal medicines or vitamins you take. Staff at the pre-anesthesia clinic will tell you which medications to take on the day of surgery.

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