Surgical Care

Expert Surgical Care, Close to Home

Mid Coast Hospital’s surgical team cares for you from the minute you are scheduled for a procedure until you are home and recovering. Our board-certified surgeons provide world-class care right here in Brunswick, close to home.

Mid Coast is nationally recognized as a Magnet™ Hospital for exceptional nursing and patient care - the highest level of recognition that nursing services can achieve. Additionally, the nurses who work in surgical services are specially trained to care for surgery patients.

Our goal is to provide you and your family with all of the information necessary to understand, prepare for and recover from your surgical procedure.

What to Expect

When you are scheduled for a procedure at Mid Coast Hospital, we work closely with your physician’s office to make sure your pre-op visit or telephone interview is scheduled and completed before you arrive. On the day of your procedure you will check in with the surgical services receptionist located just to the right of the information desk at the main hospital entrance.

1. Ambulatory Care Unit
After arrival and check in, a nurse will escort you to a private room in the Ambulatory Care Unit (ACU) and verify important information including name, date of birth, surgeon, and procedure. Preparation for surgery will take place in this area with site scrubs and IV insertions being performed by your nurse. The nurse will discuss educational needs, review your discharge plans, and answer questions. You may have a family member with you while you wait to go to the Operating Room.

2. Operating Room
The operating room nurse and anesthesiologist will meet you in your room and escort you to the operating room. The operating room is a clean, sterile environment. Personnel working in this area wear special clothing. Once in the surgical suite, the entire operating room staff will again verify all vital information. The questions may seem repetitive but this is an important safety step.

3. Recovery Room
When your surgery is complete, the anesthesiologist and Operating Room nurse will take you to the Recovery Room where a nurse will closely monitor you. You may be wearing oxygen, which helps you wake up, and is not a cause for concern. Depending on the condition of all patients in the Recovery Room, a family member may be with you for a short period of time. Not all patients require the Recovery Room.

4. Back to Your Room
When you return to your room, you may still feel sleepy and your IV will be in place. The nurse will offer you water, ginger ale or apple juice according to your physician’s orders. Theses fluids tend to be better tolerated on an empty stomach. Once you tolerate such fluids, the nurse will offer you some food choices following your physician’s orders. When you are tolerating the fluids, the nurse will remove your intravenous line. A nurse must accompany you on your first attempt to get out of bed because you may feel dizzy or weak from anesthesia, medications, or the surgery.

5. Family and Visitors
In order for you to rest and recover from surgery, we ask that visits be quiet and orderly. We allow one family member or friend to stay with you in your ACU room and recommend that visits from small children are kept brief. Support from others is a vital part of your recovery, both in the hospital and at home. The more your family and friends know about your health and your surgery, the more helpful they can be to you. Your nurse will be happy to talk to them about questions and concerns. We welcome their involvement in your care.

6. Going Home
Your doctor and nurse will determine when you are ready to leave the hospital according to set discharge criteria. It is natural to feel both happy that you are going home and nervous about how to care for yourself. Your doctor will discuss your instructions and answer any questions you may have. The nurse will reinforce these instructions and give you your prescriptions and a discharge instruction sheet. Within the next week, you will receive a phone call from a nurse to follow up on how you are doing.

Pediatric Surgery

MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children. That's why we have surgeons who are specially trained in pediatric surgery. Our family-centered team will help make you and your child comfortable and confident as we guide you through the pediatric surgery process. Please review the following information at least 2 days before your child's surgery. Call 207-373-1707 with any questions or concerns.

Before Surgery

Medicines and Supplements to Avoid

Avoid aspirin, NSAIDS and ibuprofen products for 7-10 days before surgery
Avoid multivitamins, Vitamin E products and herbal products for 10 days pre-op
Daily medications should be given and will be reviewed by your surgeon and the pre-admission nurse

Call your surgeon if your child has a fever or flu-like symptoms occurring the week prior to surgery, or if your child has been exposed to anything contagious up to 3 weeks before surgery, e.g., chicken pox, impetigo, or lice.

Food and Drink

On the day of surgery, your child should not have anything to eat after midnight. This includes gum or hard candy. Clear fluids are allowed up to 2 hours before you child’s admission time, and include drinks like apple juice, water, Pedialyte, or Gatorade. If your child does eat food during this time, it will cause a delay in his/her surgery time and compromise his/her safety. To ensure you child’s safety in regards to anesthesia, it is important to follow these instructions.

Going to the Hospital

You may give your child a shower or bath the day before or day of surgery. Do not use any lotions, powders, hair gel or hair spray. Be sure hair is completely dry and free of gels or hairspray before going to the hospital. Remove any jewelry, piercings, cosmetics or nail polish. This is all necessary to ensure the safest environment possible for your child. Please adhere to these guidelines.

Many children prefer their own pajamas or clothing. It is best to have your child wear loose fitting 2 piece clothing without “feet” attached. Avoid metal snaps, zippers or anything constricting. Pajamas may be worn. Older children and teens may wear loose fitting sweatpants, lounge pants or pajamas. Hospital gowns are also available for children to wear. Security blankets, stuffed toys, or favorite small (non-electric) toys can accompany your child into the operating room.

For infants and babies, bring your child’s preferred formula and baby food for post-procedure. It is recommended to have at least 2 servings – children are often very hungry after not eating for several hours pre-procedure. There is no baby food or formula available on the ambulatory care unit because there are now so many different varieties – it is best to serve your baby what they like best.

Finally, please make alternate child care plans for your other children for the day of surgery. The child who is having surgery will require your full attention, rooms have limited space and there are several areas where young children are not allowed for safety reasons. It is also in the best interest of your child and our patients to limit exposure to illnesses as much as possible.

Day of Surgery

Please arrive at the time scheduled for your arrival. The admitting nurse will have information and forms for you to complete. There will also be a short physical assessment and vital signs check. A member of the operating room nursing team will come to meet you and your child so you will both know some of the people who will be in the operating room. One parent should remain with the child having surgery at all times except when the child is in the operating room.

Avoid planning any other activities for the day of your child’s surgery.
Please have childcare for any other children. Your child having surgery will require your full attention while at the hospital.
An anesthesiologist will speak to you and review your child’s health history and answer any questions or concerns.
Many steps are taken to ensure safety. Expect to verify your child’s identification by name, birth date, the surgery he/she is having, and the part of the body the surgery will be done on. Depending on the type of surgery, the surgeon may mark his initials on the site with a special marking pen. This safety check will occur a few times during the admitting process and again in the operating room by the surgical team.

After surgery, your child will go to the recovery room until the anesthesia starts to wear off. You will be called to the recovery room during this phase. It is best to wait in your child’s admitting room so we know where to find you. If you need to step out, let your admitting nurse know how to locate you. Time in the recovery room varies with the procedure/type of surgery and the child.

Upon return to the admitting room your child’s vital signs will be monitored, pain level will be assessed, medications provided and fluids encouraged. Your child will be more tired than usual and can be expected to sleep on and off throughout the day.

Post-surgery Care at Home

Encourage your child to drink fluids to avoid dehydration. Fluids should be offered every 1-2 hours while awake. The first meal should be light; avoid fast foods.
Rest and quiet play are encouraged for the first few days. Watch a movie, read, or play a board game.
Avoid riding or motion toys, or anything requiring coordination the first 24 hours due to your child having had anesthesia medications which are still continuing to wear off.
Expect your child to nap or tire easily the first few days. Night time restlessness is common.
Call your surgeon if your child has a persistent severe headache; fever over 101.5 degrees; persistent vomiting over 12 hours; or increased pain or foul smelling drainage
Do not use additional Tylenol/acetaminophen with prescribed pain medication containing acetaminophen.

A surgical services nurse will call you the day after your child’s surgery to answer any questions you may have and to check on your child’s recovery progress.

For Tonsil Surgeries

Avoid “scratchy” or spicy foods and citrus drinks to prevent pain or irritation. Start diet with soft foods. Foods should not be served hot; allow them to cool to room temperature.
Report any signs or symptoms of bleeding to your surgeon. If bleeding should occur, have your child swish and swallow ice water. Apply an ice collar to the neck area and call your child's surgeon immediately.
Avoid red-colored popsicles the first few days so as not confuse fluids with bleeding.
Cold fluids and popsicles are soothing for throat pain. Some children like an ice pack placed over the neck area. If age-appropriate, chewing gum also helps decrease pain by helping keep the throat lubricated.
Avoid using ibuprofen and aspirin products as these can increase the risk of post-op bleeding.
Avoid using straws to drink until the throat is completely healed since this may also increase the risk of bleeding.
Avoid strenuous activity (such as running, dance, sports) for 2 weeks post-op to decrease the risk of bleeding. Pain may increase at around post-op day 5, when scabs in the throat begin to separate. There is also a risk of bleeding at this time.
The surgeon will let you know when your child can return to school and activities.
Halitosis (bad breath), low grade fever (99-101), and mild ear and throat pain are all normal post-op symptoms.

For Ear Surgeries

Keep ears clean and dry. Do not insert anything into ears. Clean only the outer part of the ear.

Patient Forms

Please select the health history form that matches your child's age. Then print and complete the form prior to your child's arrival at MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital. You may fax completed forms to 207-373-6133 prior to your phone interview with the pre-op nurse. You may also drop off forms at the surgical services desk before your child's surgery.