What to expect from check-in to the operating room with Dr. Gomoll's team at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
On the day of surgery you arrive at HSS at the time given the day before, change into a hospital gown, and meet your nurse, anesthesia team, and surgeon in the pre-operative holding area. Spinal anesthesia is the most common at HSS, with general or regional as alternatives. After consent and a final time-out in the OR, anesthesia begins.
From check-in to the operating room — here's exactly what to expect at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
Arrival & check-in
The day before surgery the surgical facility will call to give you your arrival time and location. If you haven't heard by late afternoon, call HSS at 212-606-1000 or Dr. Gomoll's office at 646-917-7441.
Out-of-town patients should confirm the hospital has their cell phone number and hotel address — see the before-surgery checklist for the full pre-op list.
Pre-operative holding area
After check-in you'll be brought to the pre-op holding area, change into a hospital gown, and your belongings will be secured. A nurse will record your medications, allergies, and pain level. The anesthesia team will introduce themselves and confirm your anesthesia plan. An IV is placed and pain-control medication is given.
Your surgeon or PA will obtain your surgical consent and answer any last-minute questions.
In the operating room
Once marked and consented, OR staff bring you to the room. Most ORs are cold — warm blankets are provided. A formal time-out confirms the correct procedure, correct side, and your allergies before anesthesia is administered.
For what happens afterward, see post-op instructions and rehab protocols.
Your anesthesiologist will speak with you directly in pre-op to confirm your choice. Three options are available at HSS.
Most common at HSS
Similar to an epidural, medication is injected into the spine to numb from the waist down. A "twilight sleep" keeps you unaware but breathing on your own. You wake up faster and more easily than with general anesthesia.
Full sedation
The entire body including the brain is anesthetized via IV injection or inhaled gas. No awareness or memory of surgery. A mild sore throat afterward is normal if a breathing tube was used.
Nerve block
An injection in the neck (shoulder surgery) or thigh (knee surgery) blocks pain signals from reaching the brain. Given alongside general anesthesia for comfort throughout the procedure.
