At the office of Albert Chow, DDS, your safety and comfort are our absolute priorities. Intravenous (IV) sedation is an excellent way to ensure a relaxed, pain-free treatment experience. However, because IV anesthesia deeply relaxes your body, you must strictly follow these pre-operative instructions.
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in your procedure being canceled or rescheduled for your own safety.
Morning Medications: The morning of your appointment, you may take critical morning medications (such as blood pressure medicine) with a very small sip of water.
Pain Medications: Do not take any narcotic pain medications unless specifically instructed by Dr. Chow.
Caffeine: Avoid caffeine in all forms (coffee, tea, energy drinks, soda, or chocolate) for 12 hours prior to your appointment. Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system and can limit the level of sedation we can safely achieve.
Alcohol & Smoking: Avoid alcohol and smoking for 24 hours prior to your procedure, as both can unpredictably affect how your body metabolizes the sedation.
If you are unsure about which of your regular daily medications to take, please call our office ahead of time.
Pregnancy: If you are pregnant, think you might be pregnant, or are currently breastfeeding, you must inform Dr. Chow before the day of your procedure. IV anesthesia and surgical procedures can potentially complicate pregnancy or pose risks to a developing fetus.
Breastfeeding: If you are currently breastfeeding, you will need to pump and discard your breast milk for 24 hours following your surgery to ensure the sedation medications have entirely cleared your system.
If you have any questions about these instructions, your medications, or what to expect, please contact our office as soon as possible. Your safety is our greatest concern.
