Same-Day Surgery

Depending on your specific non-emergency health situation, you may benefit from same-day surgery, also called outpatient, minor, ambulatory or office-based surgery. Typically, that means you return to the comfort of your home for recovery on the same day you undergo the surgical procedure.

Exceptional Same-Day Surgery Close to Home

Take advantage of the expert same-day surgical services and the convenient, friendly settings of OU Health University of Oklahoma Medical Center Surgery Center in Oklahoma City and OU Health Edmond Medical Center. You’ll find everything you expect from a hospital-based surgery center affiliated with a major academic health system, including advanced technology, top-notch physicians and surgeons, extensive nursing support and easy access.

Less Invasive Procedures = Faster Recovery

Many health conditions now respond to surgical procedures that employ less invasive techniques requiring smaller incisions and reducing the risk of infection, which means you’re more likely to recover faster and don’t need to stay in the hospital. The duration of a same-day procedure varies from just a few minutes to several hours. Whether you’re considering anything from a simple mole removal to a hernia repair or knee replacement, you may be a candidate for outpatient (same-day) surgery.

Advanced Technology for Innovative Care

At OU Health, you and your doctors work with highly skilled and experienced surgeons and anesthesiologists who develop and use innovative techniques, including laparoscopic, minimally invasive and robotic-assisted procedures, to perform same-day surgery for a wide range of health situations, such as:

• Abdomen, solid organs and intestines – Removes part or all of the affected organ that shows mild to moderate symptoms of benign conditions of the abdomen, small intestine, spleen, adrenal glands, pancreas and colon
• Cataracts – Improves vision by removing and replacing a clouded lens in the eye
• Gallbladder removal – Reduces chance of cancerous cells developing in gallbladder polyps
• Hernia – Repair for an organ or internal tissue pushing through muscle, especially if the condition grows rapidly or involves long-term or intense pain or vomiting
• Lipoma – Lumps or swelling that occur anywhere on the body between the skin and underlying muscle; small incision with local anesthetic for quick removal of lipomas less than two inches in size
• Thyroid and parathyroid disease – Removes one or both lobes of the specific gland related to dysfunctions in hormone levels that can lead to more serious health issues throughout the body
• Tonsillectomy – Removes inflamed lymph organs at the back of the throat

What to Expect with Same-Day Surgery

Once you and your OU Health doctors determine the need for same-day surgery, you’ll receive instructions tailored to your specific situation with information about how to prepare for your outpatient procedure.

You may need to make certain lifestyle changes, adjust your medications, identify allergies and arrange for a trusted adult to accompany you or drive you home. In addition, you’ll receive instructions about pre-procedure personal hygiene and not eating, drinking or taking certain medicines on the night before the procedure to ensure any needed anesthesia works as planned.

Your OU Health doctors or care team members will provide you with scheduling and preparation information that includes details about your particular Surgery Center location and parking, hospital admission process, billing and financial arrangements. Be sure to ask questions of your doctor or care team so you feel comfortable about your same-day procedure and what to expect during your at-home recovery.

Your Expert Surgical Care Team

When you choose OU Health for your outpatient surgery, you’ll work with some of the nation’s most experienced and respected surgeons. These pioneering, highly trained surgery specialists also serve as faculty members at OU Health’s academic partner, the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center College of Medicine, where they train the next generation of surgeons and healthcare professionals.

Your expert OU Health same-day surgical care team may include internationally recognized, top-notch surgeons who invented or perfected innovative techniques that help speed your recovery. Your team also may involve surgical residents, interns, nurses and healthcare specialists from multiple disciplines who focus on helping you achieve the best possible outcomes for your specific situation.

You benefit from the extensive experience of OU Health surgeons who provide same-day surgery services for nearly 3,200 people each year at University of Oklahoma Medical Center Surgery Center in Oklahoma City and approximately 750 people each year at OU Health Edmond Medical Center.