What is preoperative care for diabetic patients?

If your child has diabetes, you'll need to take extra care before surgery.

You may need to check your child's blood sugar more often. Your doctor may have you do this for at least 24 hours before and for 72 hours after the surgery.

Your doctor will tell you how to give your child any diabetes medicine. It may not be the same as usual. Each child is different. If you don't get instructions about your child's medicines, ask your doctor what to do. And make sure to ask about anything you don't understand.

Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.

Preparing for surgery

• You will get exact instructions about when to stop eating before your surgery. It is important to have an empty stomach before surgery. But this can also lead to low blood sugar. Be sure to talk to your doctor more about this.
• Check your blood sugar often in the hours before the surgery.
• Be sure you have someone to take you home. Anesthesia and pain medicine will make it unsafe for you to drive or get home on your own.
• Understand exactly what surgery is planned, along with the risks, benefits, and other options.
• If you take a medicine that prevents blood clots, your doctor may tell you to stop taking it before your surgery. Or your doctor may tell you to keep taking it. (These medicines include aspirin and other blood thinners.) Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do.
• Tell your doctor ALL the medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal remedies you take. Some may increase the risk of problems during your surgery. Your doctor will tell you if you should stop taking any of them before the surgery and how soon to do it.
• Make sure your doctor and the hospital have a copy of your advance directive. If you don’t have one, you may want to prepare one. It lets others know your health care wishes. It’s a good thing to have before any type of surgery or procedure.

• Follow the instructions exactly about when your child should stop eating and drinking. If you don't, your child's surgery may be canceled. If your doctor told you to have your child take any medicines on the day of surgery, have your child take them with only a sip of water.
• Follow the doctor's instructions about when your child should bathe or shower before the procedure. Do not apply lotion or deodorant.
• Your child may brush their teeth. But tell your child not to swallow any toothpaste or water.
• Do not let your child wear contact lenses. Bring your child's glasses or contact lens case.
• Be sure your child has something that's a reminder of home. A special stuffed animal, toy, or blanket may be comforting. For an older child, it might be a book or music.

At the hospital or surgery center

• A parent or legal guardian must accompany your child.
• Your child will be kept comfortable and safe by the anesthesia provider. The anesthesia may make your child sleep. Or it may just numb the area being worked on.
• The anesthesia provider will watch your child's blood sugar level before and during surgery.
• After surgery, your child will be taken to the recovery room. As your child wakes up, the recovery staff will monitor your child's condition. The doctor will talk to you about the surgery.