Preparing for a Craniotomy

As your surgery nears, you may wonder about your future health care needs. You may also have questions about how to prepare for your craniotomy. The information below can help.

Arranging for the Future

You may have concerns about your ability to make decisions about treatment in the future. Advance directives can help ease such worries. Recording your wishes on these special legal forms helps ensure that you will get the care you want even if you can no longer make decisions. Your doctor or the hospital can provide the forms that apply in your state.

Before Your Surgery

In many cases, a craniotomy is a planned procedure. If there is time before surgery, you may be told to do the following:

• Weeks ahead of time, you may be asked to donate blood for your surgery. You may also be told to stop taking aspirin and other medications that thin the blood. If you smoke, you should stop now.

• Shortly before the day of your craniotomy, you will have an exam. This ensures that you are healthy enough for surgery. If you take any daily medications, find out if you should still take them the day of surgery.

• At least 8 hours before surgery, stop eating and drinking.