Pre-Sedation Instructions v8

Pre-Sedation Instructions

Patient Information

Maxillo Facial – Head and Neck Services

The Patient Information Leaflets page on the Trust website is available on the link: https://www.wwl.nhs.uk/patient-information-leaflets or scan the QR code.

• Author ID: SW/LJT
• Leaflet ref: MX 007
• Version: 8
• Leaflet title: Pre-Sedation Instructions
• Last review: October 2022
• Expiry date: October 2024

Introduction

You will have already discussed with the Surgeon your treatment options (local anaesthetic, sedation or general anaesthetic), the risks and benefits of each option, and the one that would be most suited to you. 

Sedation is a procedure that will help you to relax during your surgery. Most people find that this is a pleasant and acceptable way of receiving treatment. The sedation drug will be administered either through an injection in the back of the hand or the front of the elbow. 

Once you feel drowsy and sufficiently relaxed, local anaesthetic will be administered to numb your mouth and your surgery will commence. During which you will feel relaxed enough to have your treatment and, in some cases, people do not remember anything about their treatment. 

At the end of the session, you will be allowed to recover until you are fit enough to be discharged home with your escort. These drugs will not make you unconscious as in a general anaesthetic. You will be in a state known as conscious sedation, which means that, although drowsy, you will still be able to hear what is said to you and will be able to follow simple instructions during the surgical procedure. Sedation may also prevent you from remembering anything about the procedure afterwards.

Before the appointment

• Do not eat or drink for three hours before your appointment. Before this, you should have a light meal.
• Any illness occurring before the appointment should be reported immediately to the nurses at the Maxillo-Facial Unit as this may affect your treatment. Call: 01942 822487.
• Please bring your current medication along with you to the sedation appointment. Inform the department before the sedation appointment if your medication has been changed since your visit.
• Remove any nail polish from your fingernails.
• You must attend the appointment with your escort, as we are unable to start the surgery. Please wear loose comfortable clothing as we will need to attach monitoring, and please wear flat shoes as you may feel unsteady after the procedure. We may need to discharge you in a wheelchair.

At the appointment

You must be accompanied by a responsible adult (over 16) who must remain in the waiting room throughout your appointment, escort you home afterwards, and arrange for you to be looked after for the following 24 hours. 

Your escort should take you home after treatment by private car rather than public transport. If you are not able to make these arrangements, we will not be able to give you sedation.

After the appointment

For 24 hours after sedation you must not:

• Drive
• Operate machinery
• Use any domestic appliance
• Drink alcohol
• Return to work
• Make any important decisions or sign any legal documents

You will/may require up to one week off work for a surgical procedure. 

Please follow the instructions to help make your treatment under sedation both pleasant and uneventful. Feel free at any time to ask the dentist or nurse any questions that you may have about your treatment.

Contact information

You can contact us at the Maxillo-Facial Unit telephone 01942 822487. 

The Department is open Monday to Friday 8:00am until 5:00pm. 

If the query is about your date of surgery, please telephone the Admissions Department on 01942 822994.