We ask that your family wait in the designated waiting room.  We will give an estimated range of time that your surgery will take. We rountinely speak to the family after the surgery. If your family is unable to wait in the hospital, but would like a call after your surgery, please let our office know when you arrive in the morning.
 
You will receive a dose of antibiotics prior to skin incision as this is proven to reduce the incidence of surgical infections. If you are allergic to antibiotics, Betadine, or Latex, please let our office know before your surgery since these items are used often for neurosurgery.
 
Depending on the type of surgery you are having, appropriate monitoring of your central nervous system will be performed. Spinal cases are monitored with somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) and motor evoked potentials (MEPs). Brain cases are monitored in order to protect the brainstem, visual apparatus, and/or cranial nerves.
 
During the surgery, you will have protection against deep vein thrombosis by sequential compression devices around your legs. If the case is expected to last two hours or more, a Foley catheter will be used to collect and measure urine output. You may receive antibiotics during the first day after surgery depending on the types of drains and catheters which we placed at your surgery.
 
At wound closure, we will decide if staples or sutures are appropriate depending on the length of the wound and the conditions at surgery. We will do everything we can to make the incision as short and cosmetic as possible.