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Recovery Room

What is Recovery Room and what happens there?

The Recovery Room, also called Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), is your destination after surgery. While you are in PACU, a RN will monitor you very closely while you "wake up" from your anesthetics. Vital signs, which include your heart rhythm, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, and blood pressure, will be taken every five minutes. Additionally, your surgical wound and pain status will be evaluated routinely.

How long will it take me to wake up?

Recovery time varies with each person. Outpatients will stay at least one hour before they go home. Inpatients will stay at least one hour before they go to their room.

What will it feel like as the anesthesia is wearing off?

As you wake up, you will feel disoriented, as if you have lost track of time. This is a normal feeling. The anesthetics have an amnesic effect. You will feel drowsy the day of you surgery. It takes an average of twenty-four hours for the medications to be metabolized and cleared from your system. You will wakeup wearing an oxygen mask that delivers humidified oxygen.

How is my pain going to be controlled?

It is very important to your RN to keep you comfortable. The nurse will want to know when you start to hurt. It is often useful to employ the pain scoring system with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain to determine your needs. You will be given pain medicine through your IV line as often as every 5 minutes if needed. Some patients, after consulting with the anesthesiologist, will have an epidural catheter for pain control. Medicine administered through the epidural catheter is given by a continuous drip that may be increased or decreased as necessary. When you are awake and alert and tolerating fluids and food, you will be given oral pain medicine.

How long will I have to stay in the Recovery Room?

Recovery time varies with each person. Outpatients will stay at least one hour before they go home. In patients will stay at least one your before they go to their room.

How soon can I see my family?

Once you are awake and vital signs are stable, your family can come in to visit with you. It is our policy to wait 45 minutes to an hour before they come in.

How will I know how to take care of myself?

When you are ready to be discharged home your RN will give you written discharge instructions, and the return appointment to see your doctor, with phone numbers to call if you have any questions or problems. Your nurse will show you and your family how to take care of your incision and go over any other special instructions. A RN will call you 1-2 days after you go home to make sure you are still doing will and answer any other questions you my have.

When will I be called with the results of my tests (biopsy)?

It usually takes 3-5 days for pathology to complete the results. Your doctor will call you with the biopsy results.