If your child has been referred to MassGeneral Hospital for Children for surgery by your pediatrician or family practitioner, we’ll first schedule a consultation visit with you. You’ll learn more about your child’s surgery and ideally book the surgery date. At this point, you may also sign a consent form for your child’s surgery. Or you may send the signed form to us later, if you need additional time to decide whether to move forward with the surgery.
Pre-Admission Testing
Depending on your child’s case, you may need to complete pre-admission testing that could include laboratory, blood work, and other tests. Your physician will let you know ahead of time. In many cases, pre-admission testing isn’t performed for outpatient surgeries. Inpatient cases usually mean your child will have all tests completed the previous day since he or she will be admitted to the hospital the night before surgery. A pre-operative clinic visit also will be scheduled.
The Day of the Surgery
On the morning of surgery, patients will go to the third floor of the Wang Ambulatory Care Center. You’ll meet with the nursing staff, who will conduct a complete assessment of your child. Then you’ll meet with a nurse practitioner or medical or surgical resident (physicians who are completing extra years of training). Finally, you’ll meet with a representative from the Anesthesia Department who will explain how an anesthesiologist will help your child fall into a special sleep before surgery so he or she won’t feel any pain.
Anesthesia
You’ll need to wear a “jump suit,” a kind of surgical scrubs, so you can stay with your child while the anesthesiologist is helping him or her fall asleep before the operation. Anesthesiologists usually carry younger children into the operating room, which you may watch. Older children will be taken in on a gurney.
During the Surgery
For longer surgical procedures, you’ll be given a pager so you can step outside or get something to eat. You’ll be notified when the surgical staff has an update for you. When your surgeon meets with you after the procedure, you’ll be able to see your child about thirty minutes later in the recovery area. Inpatient cases will be taken to the Post Anesthesia Recovery Unit (PACU) for a few hours before being transferred to one of the inpatient floors. Parents may stay with their child around the clock if they’d like—there are no set visiting hours.
