Email - asksurgeonkzn@gmail.com

Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon

MBChB [UCT] FC Plast Surg [SA] Fellow [Oxford-UK]

Now that we have met, and gone through what the surgery entails, here are just a few guidelines on the upcoming weeks prior to your surgical day

1 month prior to surgery

-Refrain from smoking completely, it impairs healing, can cause stretched, widened, elevated and thickened darker scars, as well as causing skin death.

2 weeks prior to surgery

--avoid anything with aspirin, or any flu medication combinations-these contain blood thinning drugs

1 week prior to surgery

-Stop all over the counter medications including vitamins and avoid anything over 1 unit of alcohol[a glass of wine/ a beer] per night

-Stop all health and gym supplements completely

-Stop any tea preparations[green tea/health tea] other that the normal varieties.

-avoid anything with aspirin, or any flu medication combinations-these contain blood thinning drugs- this is for 2 weeks prior to surgery.

[any other blood thinning medication must be reported to Dr Singh if you happened to omit this on my information/consult form]

-Continue taking all other medications

The day of surgery

-Anxiety is expected, mixed with excitement, but most importantly, a feeling that you are in the best hands and will be well looked after throughout your whole surgical experience.

-Chat to me about any last minute questions you have, I pride myself in being an approachable person, not just an approachable surgeon

-Don’t eat or drink from the specified time on your admission slip, and come through to the day ward where I will go through things again

-I will prescribe some meds to take the edge off and get you a bit drowsy before you are wheeled into theatre [this is called a pre-med]

For children, or aged below 16, we will have to put you off to sleep completely[ a full anaesthetic with an anesthetist present]

For adults, I will put up a drip and you will be put off to sleep, I routinely tell my patients that the prick of the drip is the most painful bit of the procedure

-you will have “twilight anaesthesia” ie you will not have any pipes put down into your lungs, you will be fully in control of your breathing and vitals, and worldwide, this is preferred as there are less fluctuations eg of your blood pressure, no coughing on removing pipes from your lungs wih eg full anaesthesia] therefore less chance of swelling

We will wake you up in theatre and transfer you back to the ward.

You will have a bandage around your head .

You will be discharged with some painkillers, and antiinflammatories, and some antibacterial ointment

The local anaesthesia wears off in approx 3 hours so please take as much meds as you require to alleviate the symptoms

Antibiotics are not recommended as apart from the side effects, the type of procedure does not warrant it.

Do not smoke, take any alcohol, or start any over the counter meds or any other of the blood thinners as set out in my preop form

Do start your chronic meds[besides blood thinners] the day of surgery.

Please sleep on your back and on at least 2 pillows/or elevate the head of the bed-it helps to improve the swelling

I will see you a week after surgery and remove the bandage[Relief!!]

Apply the antibacterial ointement twice a day behind the ears

Shower normally[you may get the area wet the day I remove the bandage]

I use a stocking for my patients to wear at  bedtime for 6 weeks after surgery[ to keep the ears back and prevent undue trauma in the healing period]

Return to work 5-7 days post op[as well as driving]- the degree of swelling and discolouration is a lot less than one would anticipate

Start gym at 2 weeks and progress as tolerated.

I will see you again in a month, then 3 months post op.

You will be most happy with your new look!