C. S. Mott Children's Hospital
We know you have lots of questions, and we promise to answer them honestly and completely. Here are some of the questions we hear a lot, but let us know when you get here what ones you still have!
Why can’t I eat before my operation?
How will I go to sleep for my surgery?
What if I wake up before the surgery is over?
What do you mean by mask "flavors?"
Why can’t I eat before my operation?
When you have surgery, you have to be asleep. This is a special type of sleep, and your body becomes more relaxed then it usually is while sleeping. Your tummy needs to be empty, because when you get really relaxed, it will not be able to take care of food or drink like it usually does. This could make you really sick.
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How will I go to sleep for my surgery?
Most children who have surgery receive a general anesthetic. This means you have a special nap, and sleep deeply enough to not move or feel any pain. Infants and younger children usually fall asleep by breathing the anesthetic through a soft, plastic facemask. (You can choose a flavor for the mask!). Older children may prefer to fall asleep by getting the anesthetic through an intravenous (IV) line.
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What if I wake up before the surgery is over?
The anesthesia doctors and nurses take care of the sleeping part of your surgery. They monitor your heart rate, your oxygen level and your blood pressure all the time. This helps them know how much special air you need to keep you asleep and comfortable.
The special air you need to breathe to fall asleep stays on you. This keeps you in that deep sleep until your surgery is over. Then, the air is changed to regular air, so you gradually start to wake up.
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What do you mean by mask "flavors?"
We have tubes of "flavored" lip balm. Choose a color or smell you like, and you can "draw" it onto your special plastic mask. Then, when you breathe the sleepy gas, you smell the lip balm, and not the plastic of the mask, or the anesthetic.
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What can I bring for surgery?
Bring a favorite toy, book, blanket, pacifier or special comfort item! You can take this with you into the operating room to help you feel more at home while you have your special nap, and it will be there with you when you wake up.
If you are going home the day of your surgery, choose some comfortable clothes to wear that day, like sweat pants or your favorite jammies. Bring a robe or slippers too, if you want to. You get to wear the hospital PJ’s while you are here, but you’ll want something comfy to wear home.
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Do I have to have a shot?
Usually, we do not give shots, and IV’s are usually placed after you are already asleep.
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Have a question about the Mott surgical experience that wasn't answered here?
Send a message to ask-mott-or@umich.edu
and we will respond as soon as we can. For questions requiring an immediate answer, please call 1-877-368-1316 between the hours of 8:00am and 11:00pm Monday through Friday.