We strive to reduce your stress and make it as convenient for you as possible while you’re here for surgery. We’ll schedule your pre- and post-op office visits in advance. We’ll provide options for hotels located within a short drive to our office/surgery center. Many nearby hotels and bed & breakfasts offer suites complete with master bedrooms, living areas, and kitchens, so you can make yourself more at home while recovering after surgery. The Coastal Carolina Regional Airport in New Bern is very convenient and services all major locations.
Your Surgical Week in Review
Typically, our cosmetic surgery patients will make travel arrangements for a schedule that looks like this:
Arrive 1-3 days before surgery in order to have a visit with us in our office. At this appointment, you will have a face to face consultation where you may get any last-minute questions answered, view before and after photos, and meet additional staff members who will assist the surgeon in your medical care. You will also receive your medication prescriptions to have filled before surgery (and to use after surgery).
On the day of surgery, your companion can stay with you until you are taken to the operating room. After surgery, you will be in the recovery room for 30-60 minutes.
For some procedures (ex. breast augmentation) you may return home the same day. Other procedures (facelift, abdominoplasty) require a next day follow-up with Dr. Zannis. If you have drainage tubes with an abdominoplasty, those need to be removed at 7 days after surgery.
If you are close enough for a follow-up, we suggest a return visit at 4 weeks and 3 months out from surgery. If you live too far for repeated visits, we will continue to follow up with you through email and phone calls. You will send us pictures as well so that we may follow your healing progression. You will have Dr. Zannis’ cell phone number for after-hours concerns.
What To Bring
You don’t need to bring much with you when traveling to us for surgery. In addition to your usual toiletries, we suggest:
- Identification and insurance cards to have prescriptions filled
- 4 or 5 slightly oversized shirts that button or zipper down the front
- Comfortable, loose-fitting pants (sweat or yoga pants) and pajama bottoms
- Pillow to place between yourself and the seat belt in the car or plane during post-surgery travel
- Sports bottle or other spill-proof cups to hold water
- Lozenges to soothe your throat, which may be a bit sore the day after surgery
We will email you a more extensive list of items to bring for out-of-town patients.