Surgery: What to Expect

Knowing what to expect before, during, and after surgery can help ease your fears. Knowledge can also help you take an active role in your recovery.

Being an active patient means asking questions and not agreeing to anything until you understand it and believe that it's for the best. Taking an active role also includes finding out about Reference the cost of your treatment.

Minor surgeries

Minor surgeries that can be done in your doctor's office or at a same-day surgery center usually take less than 2 hours, and you can recover at home after the surgery. For these, you most likely will need only oral pain medicines after your procedure. Examples of these types of surgeries are:

• Reference Cataract Opens New Window removal.
• Reference Laparoscopy Opens New Window, such as surgery to repair a hernia or remove the gallbladder.
• Breast Reference biopsy Opens New Window.
• Reference Dilation and curettage (D&C) Opens New Window.
• Hemorrhoid removal.
• Minor bone or joint procedures, such as Reference arthroscopy Opens New Window or hand surgery.

For more major surgery or emergency surgery, you will probably stay in the hospital.

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