Tonsillectomy: How Long It Takes and What to Expect
The tonsillectomy operation itself usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes under general anesthesia, and most people go home the same day after a…
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Blog Category
Preparing for Surgery
Articles on preparing for surgery: the tests done beforehand, medicines that may need to stop, fasting, anesthesia and what to pack. Your surgical team gives the instructions that apply to you; these pages explain the reasons behind them.
Smoking, Vaping and Surgery: Why Surgeons Insist You Stop, and for How Long
No, surgeons advise against smoking or vaping nicotine before any operation. Quitting at least four weeks ahead measurably lowers the risk of wound, heart,…
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How Long Does General Anesthesia Last? Duration, Wake-Up and the Foggy Hours After
General anesthesia lasts exactly as long as the anesthesia team keeps delivering medication, whether the operation takes twenty minutes or eight hours. Once the…
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Thyroidectomy: What It Is, How Long It Takes, Whether It Is Dangerous and Sleeping Afterwards
A thyroidectomy is surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid, the butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the neck. It is done…
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What Does Anesthesia Feel Like? Going Under, Waking Up and the Hours Between
For most people, general anesthesia feels like nothing at all: a warm, heavy drowsiness for a few seconds, then an instant skip forward in…
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What a Gastric Band Is, How It Works and How Long It Lasts
A gastric band is an inflatable silicone ring placed around the upper part of the stomach during keyhole surgery. It creates a small pouch…
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Twilight Anesthesia: What Being Sedated but Breathing on Your Own Really Means
Twilight anesthesia is moderate, or 'conscious,' sedation: medication given through an IV relaxes you into a drowsy, dream-like state while you keep breathing on…
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The Plastic Surgery Consultation: What Happens, What to Ask, What to Bring
A plastic surgery consultation typically includes a review of your medical history, a physical exam of the area you want treated, standardized photographs, and…
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Heart Valve Replacement: The Average Age, How Serious It Is, and Bypass vs Valve
There is no single official average age for heart valve replacement, but most operations happen in people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s, because…
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Choosing a Country for Weight-Loss Surgery: Criteria Beyond the Price Tag
There is no single best country for bariatric surgery. Evidence-based safety depends less on geography than on the specific team: a high-volume surgeon, an…
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Epidural Explained: What It Is, How Long It Lasts, the Needle, and the Back-Pain Myth
An epidural is a regional anesthetic technique in which medication is delivered through a thin catheter into the epidural space around the spinal nerves,…
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