Pre-Operation Info

Please note, these guidelines are relevant for any procedure performed at the hospital, which includes general anesthesia. Procedures requiring local anesthesia or no anesthesia at all (doctor appointments for example) - do not require presentation of a green pass.

Dear patients and visitors - your safety is important to us, please help us by following the health ministry regulations: 

• Due to the rise in COVID cases, you must have only one person accompanying you on arrival at hospital!
• Please wear a mask during any meeting between patients and medical staff.

Here are the guidelines for each operation performed at the hospital: Surgery under general and local anesthesia, and blurring operations:

All patients coming to the hospital must present a PCR test performed within 72 hours prior to arrival or an institutional Antigen test performed within 24 hours prior to arrival (including vaccinated patients).

Recovered persons must only present a recovery certificate valid for 60 days.

Corona-recovered patients who have a planned operation under full anesthesia:

Patients who have fully recovered from corona and were asymptomatic while they were sick, or experienced light, non-respiratory, symptoms, can undergo the surgery starting 4 weeks after recovery from the disease.

Recovered persons who experienced light to medium respiratory symptoms while they were sick and are fully recovered, can undergo the surgery starting 7 weeks after recovery from the disease.

Recovered persons who experienced significant respiratory symptoms, required hospitalization in intensive care or suffer Immunodeficiency, and are fully recovered, can undergo the surgery starting 12 weeks after recovery from the disease.  

We are here for you for any questions on 03-3767449.

Medical Guidelines

• Please bring a referral from your surgeon and all the required tests.
• You must provide a letter from your family doctor which contains your diagnoses, up-to-date medications and allergies.
• Patients suffering from hematologic disease or blood coagulation issues, are required to bring approval for surgery from a coagulation specialist or hematologist.
• In accordance with the instructions given by your surgeon/anesthesiologist / family doctor, you must quit taking blood-thinning or anticoagulant medications before the operation.
• If there is a medical change in your health, fever, sore throat, cold, rash, etc., between your visit to the surgeon/anesthesiologist and the day of the surgery, please notify the surgeon/anesthesiologist.
• You must bring your regular medications in their original packages.
• You must perform the following tests before your appointment at the pre-op clinic, or
• prior to the day of surgery:

For full or spinal (bottom half of the body) anesthesia

• Blood tests: count + chemistry + coagulation from the last three months
• ECG from the last three months for patients over 40
• Chest x-ray from the last three months for patients over 60
• A written authorization from a specialist (cardiologist / pulmonologist / nephrologist / neurologist etc’) in case of any chronic disease.

For urological, gynecological or joint surgeries

• You must bring a general urine test and urine culture test

For back and joint surgery

• You must bring a nose swab MRSA

It is critical that you observe the fasting protocol prescribed to you by the surgeon. If you were not given any instructions, the following are general guidelines:

• Chewing gum or hard candy must not be consumed for 8 hours before the operation
• A sip of water with your medication is fine.
• Please avoid taking vitamins and supplements like Vitamin E, Omega 3, Turmeric, etc’.

• Make sure you bring a photo ID
• Make sure to have a financial obligation for the surgical procedure with you
• Medical history, including a letter from the family doctor specifying the type of surgery, addressing background diseases, diagnoses, medications, allergies, pre-op tests: blood (blood count, complete chemistry, coagulation functions), urine (general urine culture - mandatory in urological/gynecological/orthopedic surgeries, knee, hip and back surgeries), chest X-ray (for patients over 60), ECG (for patients over the age of 40), MRSA nose swab - for patients due for joint / spine replacement surgery.
• An oncology patient is required to bring a letter from the oncologist authorizing the surgery
• Patients suffering from heart conditions or any other cardiology-related issues, those who have a pacemaker, or have just undergone open-heart surgery - must bring written permission from their cardiologist.
• Patients with obstructive pulmonary disease are required to bring an up-to-date lung function test, as well as a letter from a pulmonologist authorizing surgery under full anesthesia.
• Patients who have a healthcare proxy or a legal guardian are required by law to arrive with a written court-issued power of attorney, as well as with the guardian or proxy him/herself.
• Please remove any jewelry (necklaces, rings, earrings, piercing, etc’.) before the operation.
• Please refrain from bringing any valuables with you (jewelry, wallet, laptops, etc’.) Please be advised that the hospital is not liable for any stolen/lost valuables.
• Contact lenses are not allowed during surgery - you must wear glasses. 
• Avoid using any alcohol-containing beauty/hair products on the day of surgery (gel, spray etc’.)
• You must bring toiletries, shaving accessories, slippers, walking shoes, and undergarments. Headphones and a good book can help you during your hospitalization.

Medical Guidelines

You must follow the surgeon’s instructions regarding heart and blood pressure medication.
On the morning of the surgery, you must take a shower and use liquid antiseptic soap. If you attended a pre-op clinic and received an antiseptic soap, you must shower at home, and follow the instructions outlined below. If you have not done so at home, you will be required to do it at the hospital as part of the preparation for surgery.

Instructions for use of antiseptic soap in pre-op shower, in accordance with the health ministry guidelines:

1. Wet the skin and hair using running water.
2. You must use 0.5 mm of antiseptic soap with a disposable shower sponge (except for ear, nose throat surgeries)
3. You must begin sponging the surgery area using a separate sponge (the operated area) and continue to the rest of the body using another sponge.
4. Please make sure to go over skin folds, armpits, belly button, the underside of breasts, and finally the pubic area and bottom.
5. Leave the soap on the skin for 3 minutes before rinsing.
6. The hair must be washed using antiseptic shampoo only for head and neck surgery.
7. Rinse off the soap and shampoo using running water.
8. A patient unable to wash him/herself will be washed by the nursing staff.

People facing surgery are often required to stop smoking, since smoking may cause complications during the operation and during the recovery period.

What are the risks of smoking before surgery?
The blood vessels of smokers undergoing surgery constrict, and therefore they experience a significant decrease in the blood supply to the operated area. As a result: instead of a rich blood supply that is essential for the body's recovery, it receives toxins and a variety of harmful substances found in cigarettes, which may cause tissue damage.

When should you stop smoking?
The recommendation is to quit smoking 6 weeks prior to the surgery (or from the moment you found out about the surgery), until 6 weeks after. If you have not been able to quit during that time, it is mandatory to quit at least 12 hours prior to the surgery, and 6 weeks after. 

Remember: Quitting smoking before surgery is a great opportunity to stop smoking altogether and guarantee yourselves better health.