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Q. |
How do I get to the office? |
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People coming into town from the north island or from the peninsula will be travelling south on either Blanshard or Douglas Streets. As they enter the downtown core a left turn on Johnson St. is made. There are several lights to pass through. Just past the Cook St. intersection, the office is on the right hand side. ?Victoria Professional Building? is clearly displayed. The office is on the 4th floor in Suite 405. |
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Q. |
Where do I park? |
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Parking is on the Johnson St. entrance. The lot is a fair size and the ticket machine accepts coin and credit card. There are some one and two hour parking spots on the street in front and behind the office. |
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Q. |
What will happen when I see the Surgeon? |
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The office visit is for consultation only. No procedures are carried out in the office. You may be asked to undress and wear a gown to allow for a more thorough physical examination if it is deemed necessary. |
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Q. |
What do I need to bring? |
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We appreciate accurate lists of current medications and dosages as well as lists of allergies. These form a part of the hospital record should you require admission at any time.
The patient information form is available from this website (see Online Forms). |
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Q. |
Are there sutures to remove? |
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Most abdominal and leg wounds are closed with surgical staples. These are removed with a device that minimizes discomfort. Due to the length of the incisions it is preferable to conventional sutures and leaves less scarring. They can be removed from the abdomen around day 7-8 and from the leg wounds from day 8-10. They may be removed in the family doctors office, by a home care nurse or by your surgeon if you are discharged prior to their removal. Most Carotid incisions are closed with a dissolving suture so nothing needs to be removed. If staples are used in this area they can be removed on day 5-7.
Varicose vein surgery uses a combination. The groin incision is closed with a dissolving suture but the incisions lower down the leg have nylon stitches and they should be removed at day 7-10. |
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Q. |
When can I drive? |
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Anyone seeking to drive should be off all narcotic pain killers (intoxicating) and able to move comfortably and react to traffic without pain. In order to accomplish both of these takes a minimum of 2 weeks after any major surgery. For neck operations and those involving the leg, it may be closer to six weeks. |
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Q. |
What about bathing and showering? |
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A surgical wound is impervious to bacteria within 24 hours. If the surface is disrupted by injury or prolonged soaking this barrier may be broken. For this reason care must be take. Keep your wound dry for the first few days. When you do go in for a shower, covering the site with saran wrap is helpful for protection. When clips are out or a week has elapsed, prolonged soaking in bath is not likely to do harm. Dressings are worn in part for protection of the wound from irritation from clothing. Dress comfortably and after showering gently pat dry. |
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