Going to the Operating Room
Going to the operating room is not a normal experience for most of us. Dr. Calobrace, Dr. Mizuguchi and all of the professional staff caring for you recognize the natural anxiety with which most patients approach this step in the process of achieving their goals. We believe a description of the surgery experience will be helpful.

Your surgery will be performed at our Surgery Center. Specialists using modern equipment and techniques will attend to you. The team includes a board-certified anesthesiologist—Dr. Steve Lipson, a trained operating room technician and a registered nurse in charge of the operating room.

When you arrive at Calobrace Plastic Surgery Center on your surgery day, you will enter through the private surgery entrance and then will be escorted to the surgery suite. You will be asked to change into a gown and robe and will be given foot covers. The nurse or the anesthesiologist will start an intravenous drip in your arm. Your doctor and the anesthesiologist will meet with you before surgery. This is the time for final surgical planning; it is also when we will do basic preparation or draw on your skin as needed. There will be time for last minute questions.

The staff will do everything they can to make you feel secure. You will feel comfortable on our deeply padded operating table. At the same time, to ensure your safety, our staff will connect you to monitoring devices. Medicines that will make you drowsy will flow through the tubing into a vein in your arm.

In the Recovery Room
When your surgery has been completed and your dressings are in place, you will be transferred to the recovery room. You will be connected to monitoring equipment constantly. During this period, a fully-trained nurse will take care of you and remain with you at all times.

Your stay in the recovery room will last approximately one hour, depending on how soon you are ready to leave. Most patients are fully awake within 30-60 minutes after surgery but may not remember much about their stay in the recovery room. When you are ready to leave the recovery room, your adult friend or family member should be available to take you home and stay with you for a minimum of 24 hours.