Preventing Infections: Pre-Surgery Body Wash Instructions
DO NOT SHAVE the area that will be operated on while you are using the soap. Doing so may irritate your skin. The pre-op nurse will shave the operative site if necessary the morning of surgery.
Preventing infection is an important part of your surgical process. Please follow these instructions for five days prior to surgery, as well as the morning of surgery:
Wash and rinse your hair and body with your normal soap and shampoo.
Pour ½ bottle of Hibiclens soap on a clean, wet washcloth. Apply to your entire body from the neck down. DO NOT apply to your face, hair or genital areas.
Gently rub the soap onto your body for three minutes.
Rinse thoroughly.
Dry yourself with a clean towel and dress in clean clothes after each cleansing.
Do not apply lotions, powders or perfumes to your body (deodorant is okay to use). If you have eczema or psoriasis, you may continue to use your medicated creams.
Should you develop any kind of allergic reaction, stop using the Hibiclens and use an antimicrobial soap instead (such as Dial).
Please follow these steps for each of the five days prior to surgery as well as the morning of surgery.
Preventing Infections: Nose Ointment
Because we want to do everything we can to prevent you from getting an infection, we will be prescribing an antibiotic nasal ointment called “Mupirocin.” This will get rid of the bacteria in your nose. The ointment will be called into your local pharmacy.
Mupirocin Ointment Instructions
Use this ointment for 5 days before your surgery and the morning of surgery for a total of 10 doses.
Start the first dose in the evening 5 days before your surgery. Use the ointment twice a day for the next 4 days.
The last dose of the medication should be applied the morning of surgery.
The instructions on the tube may say not to apply to the nose, but please disregard these instructions.
If you have an allergy to Mupirocin, please notify the office.
How to Apply the Mupirocin Ointment
Wash your hands.
Place a pea-size amount of ointment on a cotton applicator. Insert the cotton applicator about ¼ inch into the nostril and swab. Close the nostril with your finger and massage the areas to spread the ointment. Please throw the used cotton applicator in the trash.
Get a new cotton applicator and repeat the directions on the other nostril and dispose of the cotton applicator.
Wash your hands when finished.
If your surgery is rescheduled, please start the new schedule 5 days from your new surgery date.
