Day Case Instructions

Day Case Instructions

Patient Information

Maxillo Facial – Head and Neck Services

• Author ID: LJT
• Leaflet ref: MX 004
• Version: 8
• Leaflet title: Day Case Instructions
• Last review: October 2025
• Expiry date: October 2027

Please read the instructions you are given with your appointment

• If you are taking medication, it is important that you check with the department when to take it.
• Fasting times – These are either from midnight (for patients coming in at 8:00am) or 8:00am (for patients coming in at lunchtime).
• Please bring with you a dressing gown and slippers. It is a walk from the day-case unit to theatre along a corridor. It may be helpful to bring a wash bag with you to, just to freshen up after your operation or if you need to be kept in overnight.
• You must make arrangements for someone to pick you up from hospital, as you will be unable to drive after your operation, or the day after as anaesthetic drugs can remain in your system for 24 to 48 hours.
• It is advisable to refrain from work or college the day after your operation to allow yourself time to recover from the anaesthetic.  However, you may require up to one week for a surgical procedure.
• It is important to look after yourself following your surgery, this involves eating normal healthy meals, keeping up your fluid intake and resting.
• Please ensure you have someone to take care of you at home on discharge from hospital and for at least 24 hours, as this is one of the provisions for allowing you home on the same day.
• Please remove all jewellery and nail polish prior to coming into hospital.
• You will have the opportunity prior to your surgery, to speak to both the surgeon and the anaesthetist if you have any concerns.
• Following your operation it is possible you may have stitches in your mouth, these will dissolve in approximately 10 to14 days. Sometimes they can come out before this time or, last a little bit longer and are not usually a problem. If you do have any concerns, you can ring the department, telephone 01942 822487.
• After surgery it is possible that you may have numbness in your mouth. This is because a local anaesthetic is given on some occasions, to ensure good post-operative pain relief.
• There is a possibility you may have discomfort, be swollen or bruised following your operation; this is normal, but if you are concerned at all please contact the department. Ice packs can be a good way to reduce swelling. For a few days after your surgical procedure, you may notice blood on your pillow when you wake up in the morning.  This is normal and you may like to use an old towel to protect your pillow case.
• Patients having wisdom teeth removed may have limited mouth opening following surgery. This is normal and is due to swelling in the soft tissues at the back of the mouth. This should all return to normal within a few days and should not stop you eating, drinking, talking or breathing.  If you are at all concerned, please contact the department.
• On occasions patients may need to be kept overnight, if the doctor or the ward feels it is in patient’s best interest. This is something you need to be aware of before your operation.
• Unfortunately, there is not the facility for the patient to be accompanied on the Ward. The person bringing you to the ward, can see you onto the ward and to your bed space, but will need to leave following this. The ward will ring when you are ready for discharge.

Following discharge from the day-case unit, we do not normally give follow up appointments, but if you have any worries or concerns then please contact us, telephone 01942 822487.