FAQs

General and more specific guidelines will be given to you by Professor Purkayastha when you are booked for surgery and the procedure is explained to you and you have the opportunity to ask any questions. These can also be found on this website by logging on with your patient logon and password.

The consultant anaesthetist that will be involved in your case and an administrator from the relevant private hospital team will also contact you by phone in the week running up to surgery as well.

Every case and patient are different and this is something that you should discuss with Professor Purkayastha when you are booked for surgery. I you need paperwork to help you for professional leave of absence for your procedure please do not hesitate to ask us.

Please let them know the name of your surgeon (Professor Sanjay Purkayastha), the institution where you will be having your procedure and the name and code for your operation. For example if you are having a key hole procedure for removal of the gallbladder this is called a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and the code is J1830. Sometimes, depending on the insurance company they may want you to also provide the name of the consultant anaesthetist so please ask us if you need this information for insurance purposes. Once your insurance receives this information they will provide you with an authorisation code please email this to us ASAP once you have it.

This will be discussed with you prior to surgery. After any procedures you may be given additional medications such as pain killers to take home. The doses, times to take the medications and other instructions around these medications will be explained to you in details by your discharging nurse and doctor.

Please call our administrative team ASAP and or email us at info@londongeneralsurgeryclinic.co.uk 9am-5pm.

Out of office hours please call the phone number given to you on discharge from the discharge team. In the unlikely event of having a problem out of hours, please also let us know by email that a problem has occurred and we will contact you first thing in the morning.

Although extremely unlikely, if you have an immediate emergency out of hours and cannot contact the relevant persons above, please go to St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London W2 1NY, Emergency Department, 1st Floor QEQM with your discharge papers and request to see the surgical registrar on call.

Usually the same day or the day after surgery for planned (elective cases). This is as long as your pain is manageable with tablets painkillers and you have passed your end and someone can pick you up and there is someone at home with you. For major cases such as bariatric surgery cases usually most patients are in for two nights.

If you have a desk job or work from home then whenever you are able to manage this is up to you. If you do more manual work or have to travel a lot then most people take one week off work. You should refrain from heavy lifting for at least 2 weeks.

Not for 48 hours after a general anaesthetic and then afterward not till you are completely comfortable to make an emergency stop. You should inform your insurance company of your operation.

Usually 2-3 days after your surgery as long as it was uncomplicated and you feel comfortable to travel.

The painkillers that were given to you on discharge – please take them regularly for the first 24 hours at least and then when you feel you need them. Carry on any other normal meds as per your discussion with the surgical team members prior to discharge. Take special advice if you are diabetic, take aspirin, clopidogrel or warfarin.

Usually once the wounds have healed completely – around 3 – 4 weeks post operation. Start with gentle exercises first in the gym.

Please remember that it is especially important to get out of bed and walk regularly as soon as you are able to, on the day of or certainly the day after surgery, as this will reduce the risks of complications such as clots in the legs and lungs.

If your skin incisions have been closed with clips these need to be removed by the GP nurse 7-10 days after the surgery. Try to keep the dressing on for 5 days and during this time only shower, do not soak in a bath.

Eat sensibly as the anaesthesia, painkillers and surgery may make you feel nauseous – so have small light meals. Avoid rich, spicy or fatty foods and alcohol for 48 hours after the surgery but after this you should be able to return to a normal diet.

We would want you to return to the hospital if you have any of the following – SEVERE abdominal pains that are not alleviated by the pain killers you are discharged with after a few hours; high temperatures or fevers and chills; repeated vomiting; wound problems that your GP or GP nurse cannot manage.

Yes – Professor Purkayastha follows up all his patients. You will be told about your follow up on discharge. To confirm your follow up date and time please contact us on info@lgsc.co.uk