Start to Finish

• CONSULTATION   Now that you’ve researched your procedure and determined plastic and reconstructive surgery might be for you, you’ll need to contact Dr. McDonald’s office to schedule a consultation. There is no charge for cosmetic consultations. If you are seeing Dr. McDonald for an insurance related procedure, your specialist co-pay will apply.  During your consultation, the doctor will listen to your goals, explain what the procedure involves and set realistic expectations. This is the time to ask the doctor any questions you have, discuss medical history and past surgeries, as well as let him know all medications and herbal supplements you are taking.

• INSURANCE PRIOR AUTHORIZATION     If your case is expected to go through insurance, prior authorization is typically required. Our office handles this process for you and it can take up to 3 weeks depending on your insurance. 

• PRE-OPERATIVE TESTING    Once you and Dr. McDonald agree on the best surgery for you, you’ll be given orders for pre-op testing. This can include blood work, EKG and a chest X-Ray. In some cases, patients will need to get imaging tests done for a more thorough evaluation. ALL PATIENTS are required to obtain a Medical Clearance Letter from their Primary Care Physician. Plan for the results to take 48 hours to receive. These should be completed between 2 and 4 weeks prior to the surgery.

• WEEKS BEFORE   Stop taking aspirin/ ibuprofen 3 weeks prior to surgery. If you are currently taking medication for ongoing health issues, please consult your prescribing physician regarding if and when to stop for surgery.

• SURGERY DAY      Arrive 1 hour prior to the surgery unless the hospital instructs otherwise.  If you are undergoing a procedure requiring anesthesia, you should avoid eating and drinking for 8 hours prior to surgery. Surgeries and patients are all different so there is only an estimated length of time. Once the surgery is complete, and you are awake and up, you’ll need to have someone with you to drive you home from the surgical center. 
  • wear loose comfortable clothing to go home in
  • bring post surgical garments
  • refrain from eating and drinking 8 hours before surgery 
  • remove all jewelry and nail polish

• POST SURGERY    Dr. McDonald will see you at least twice after your surgery; 1 day post and 5-7 days post surgery.  Depending on your procedure, the doctor may want to see you again at 2 weeks or a month post-op.  Keep in mind, all patients heal differently and the post-op plan will vary.

No matter how small you feel your surgery is, surgery is still surgery. You will need to rest and recover. For many procedures, the doctor often advises to take off work for one week in order to focus on your recovery.

Have more questions? Call us at 305.381.8900 to schedule your consultation with Dr. McDonald.