When you or a loved one needs surgical care in the south Denver area, trust the expert surgeons at Sky Ridge Medical Center. From brain surgery to general surgery, our board-certified surgeons perform a variety of surgical procedures, and our medical teams provide each surgical patient with compassionate, high-quality care.
To schedule your pre-admission testing for surgery, please call (720) 225-6188.
We are proud to offer our patients minimally-invasive options for many surgical procedures, as well as state-of-the-art robotic surgery. With these techniques, patients experience a shorter hospital stay, a faster recovery, less pain and less scarring. Your Sky Ridge surgeon can discuss if these options are available for your procedure.
The following guidelines and recommendations will help you prepare for your surgery at Sky Ridge. If you have any questions, please contact your physician.
We encourage you to schedule your pre-admission testing within two weeks of your surgery. Tests include blood work, electrocardiography (EKG), X-ray and an obstructive sleep apnea screening. Our pre-admission testing nurse will also complete a full medical history and request a list of your medications.
Pre-admission testing appointments may be scheduled Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Appointments typically last one hour.
To schedule your appointment, please call (720) 225-6188.
Please pre-register for your surgery at least 48 hours in advance of the procedure to give us time to process your information.
Please arrive at Sky Ridge two hours before your surgery, and check in with the Admissions Desk. If you already had your pre-admission testing, you will be able to check-in via "fast pass," which will make the preoperative process faster.
Please do not eat solid foods for at least eight hours prior to your scheduled surgery time. Solids include milkshakes, protein drinks and anything that has particulate matter in it. You may have clear liquids (water, clear juices and clear soda) and black coffee or tea without milk or cream up to four hours before surgery.
Food consumed less than eight hours and liquids less than four hours prior to surgery can be dangerous and may result in cancellation of surgery. If your anesthesiologist calls you the night before your surgery and gives you instructions other than these, those instructions should be followed.
Shower, shampoo your hair and brush your teeth, but do not swallow the water, before coming to the hospital. Do not apply lotion, perfume or makeup. Nail polish and artificial nails are acceptable.
If you develop a cold or other illness prior to surgery, you must notify your surgeon before the day of surgery.
No smoking after midnight. No alcoholic beverages prior to surgery.
Wear your glasses, and bring a case. If you wear contacts, you will most likely be expected to remove them prior to surgery, so bring a case and solution to store them.
Please leave all your valuables at home, including jewelry, electronic devices, expensive clothing, cash, credit cards or checkbooks. Only bring your copay, if required. The hospital is not responsible for the loss of or damage to any personal property kept in your room. If an item must be secured, please ask your nurse to arrange for hospital security to assist you.
All jewelry must be removed prior to surgery. If you cannot remove rings, have them removed by a jeweler prior to your day of surgery.
If your surgery includes an overnight stay in the hospital, please leave your suitcase/bag in your car on the day of surgery. After your stay in the recovery room, you will be assigned a room and a loved one may bring your belongings to your room.
Your recovery time in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) is variable, but usually takes one to two hours. Your recovery room nurse will contact your loved ones in the surgery waiting room to provide an update on your progress.
If you are planning to go home the same day of surgery, and you receive general anesthesia or any form of sedation or intravenous medication, you must have someone to drive you home. We also recommend that you have a responsible adult stay with you for 24 hours as you may be dizzy, lightheaded and sleepy during the first day.
The surgeon will visit with you following the procedure. Your loved one will arrive in the PACU (recovery room—phase I) about 15 minutes after that. We will call you as soon as we have your family member settled and it is safe to leave the patient to use the phone.
The patient will be in phase I recovery for about 60 minutes. The nurse will call you so that you may visit during phase II—the time when the patient is almost ready to go home.
During phase II, the nurse will review discharge instructions and ensure that your family member is safe to go home. If the patient will be delayed going to phase II, the nurse will arrange for you to have a five-minute visit with your family member during phase I.
Once the patient has been in recovery phase I for 45 to 60 minutes, the nurse will arrange for a brief family visit (except in the Spine & Total Joint Center). This visit will be for about five minutes and limited to two family members (no children please).
It is important to limit the visit so the nurse can continue to care for your family member during this crucial time. The patient will be sleepy and may have pain and nausea, so please maintain a quiet and calming environment for him or her. You will receive another phone call when the patient is ready to go to the hospital floor.
Place your cell phone on vibrate and limit use.
The PACU is a large, open area with patients in various stages of waking. Privacy for all patients is paramount, so visitors must stay behind the curtains.
If you have a history of fainting, please inform the nurse.
Please understand that certain care situations in the PACU may take priority over family visitation. Your visit to your family member may be delayed for these reasons.
You have probably seen the patient tracking monitor in our waiting rooms. You have been provided with a patient code (to protect your loved one's privacy) that will enable you to follow the course of the surgery and recovery.
The information below describes the notations that you will see on the monitor. We hope this will give you greater peace of mind while awaiting news on your loved one.
While your loved one is in surgery, our comfortable waiting rooms (located on the main floor and in the Spine & Total Joint Center) offer a relaxing area to await your loved one's updates. We offer televisions and complimentary coffee and internet access.
In addition, our patient tracking system will enable you to follow your loved one through his or her procedure. The Sky Ridge Café (our coffee shop with fresh brewed coffee), our gift shop and the Healing Garden are just a short walk from our waiting rooms.
We also offer hospitality pagers, similar to what you might find in a restaurant, to let family and friends know that the surgeon has completed the procedure. If you need to leave the campus, we are happy to ask for a cell phone number, so we can call you with updates.
For more information about our hospital amenities, please visit our patients and visitors page.