Mercy Clinic Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery - Mercy Heart Hospital St. Louis Patient Resources

Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Pre-Op Instructions

• Please call 314-251-6868 to schedule an appointment with the Prequalification Department to obtain pre-operative lab work and meet with the anesthesiologist.
• Please call 314-251-6970 the day prior to surgery for your surgery time (between 3 - 4 p.m.).

Night Before Surgery

• Practice deep breathing and coughing.
• Follow the Antiseptic Shower instructions given to you at your prequalification appointment. 
• DO NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING AFTER MIDNIGHT. (Unless the anesthesiologist direct you to take your medication with a sip of water)
• It is ok to continue your aspirin until the day before surgery.

Morning of Surgery

• Continue with the Antiseptic Shower instructions.
• CONTINUE TO NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING unless otherwise specified by the anesthesiologist. 
• Report to the Heart and Vascular Hospital admitting area on the 2nd floor off of the main lobby. Take the Rose elevators to the second floor and you will see the waiting area. The admitting clerks are in this area. 

Visitor Information

Visitors may accompany you to the Pre-Op Holding Area located on the ground floor of the Heart and Vascular Hospital once you are admitted. Pagers are available to be checked out by your family members. The pager is used to notify your family members of any updates during surgery and when the surgery is finished. The 4th floor of the Heart and Vascular Hospital is where you will go after surgery and your visitors/family members are welcome to wait on that floor.

You will be taken to the 4th floor directly from surgery. Your family members will be able to see you as soon as the nurse has you settled in - usually in about one hour after the surgery is completed.