Welcome to Montfort. We are pleased to accompany you throughout your surgery, from beginning to end, whether it is for a day surgery or a hospital stay.
Each year, over 9,000 people like you have surgery at Montfort, Ontario’s Francophone academic hospital.
Pre-admission
Your surgeon determined that you will have surgery at Montfort. Here are the next steps:
- A member of the pre-op team will contact you to schedule a series of appointments which could take place via telehealth, by telephone or in person
- During this appointment, a nurse will ask you questions to assess your health condition and prepare your medical file
- Other tests or treatments may be done, and other specialists may meet with you, if necessary
For your appointment, you will need:
- Your Health Card
- An up-to-date list of your medications
- A paper and pen to take notes
- To have read the patient surgery guide
- To have read the information documents that apply to your upcoming surgery available under the "After" tab on this page
- To have consulted the orthopedic surgery resources if you are having a knee or hip replacement surgery.
Helpful links
Before your surgery
- Notify your surgeon as soon as possible if you need to cancel or postpone your surgery.
- Contact your surgeon's office to report any fever, sore throat, colds, flu or COVID-19.
- You will not be able to drive a vehicle when you leave the hospital after your surgery. Plan a mode of transportation for your return home.
- You will need to be escorted home and someone should keep you company for 24 hours after your surgery.
- If you will need mobility equipment (walker, crutches, sling, brace, specialized shoe, etc.) after your surgery, get them before the day of your surgery.
- Purchase the SCRUB STAT 2% antiseptic body cleanser at the Montfort gift shop, or at the Ontario Medical Supply (OMS) store at the Aline-Chrétien Health Hub in Orléans. To know the stores opening hours, click on their names.
**Important message for GLP1 receptor agonist medication: If you are taking Semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus), Dulaglutide (Trulicity) or Tirzepatide (Mounjaro), you must contact your surgeon immediately for the indications of your medication. If you must stop using this medication for your surgery and you use it to control your diabetes, contact your family physician or endocrinologist if your blood sugar levels rise significantly after stopping the medication. Additional information on GLP1 receptor agonist medications following your surgery can be found in the 'After' tab.
The day before your surgery
- A reception clerk will call you the business day before your surgery, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., to inform you of the time you must arrive on the day of your surgery. If you miss the call from the hospital, contact 613-748-4946.
- You must fast from 11 p.m. onward. Do not eat any solid food.
- You may drink water or apple juice only, up to 2 hours before your surgery, for a maximum of 1 cup (250 ml).
- Do not smoke or drink alcohol.
- Take a shower or a bath with the antiseptic body cleanser. Follow the skin disinfection instructions included in your pre-admission kit.
The morning of your surgery, at home
If you think you may be late the morning of your surgery, notify the hospital at 613-748-4946. Stay on the line until you talk to a clerk.
- Take a shower or a bath with the antiseptic body cleanser. Follow the skin disinfection instructions included in your pre-admission kit.
- Do not wear any:
- jewelry, body piercing,
- make-up, nail polish (hands and feet),
- deodorant, perfume, hairspray,
- contact lenses.
- Take your usual medications with water, unless your surgeon tells you otherwise.
- If you are diabetic, do not take your diabetes medication.
- If you take inhalers (pumps), take them according to your prescription and take them with you to the hospital.
- Prepare a large reusable bag (such as a duffel bag) labeled with your name, in which you will put your personal belongings, including:
- Your dentures, glasses, hearing aids and/or sleep apnea machine (CPAP) in their containers, if you wear them.
- A reusable water bottle and a snack for after your surgery.
- Your clothes and shoes.
- Do not bring any valuables or money. You will only need your health card.
To reduce medical waste, Montfort does not provide plastic bags or Styrofoam cups in the Operating Room. Please be sure to bring the items listed above.
The morning of your surgery, at the hospital
Present yourself at the Operating Room reception at room 2A105 at the scheduled time.
Having surgery can be stressful. This is why we are offering you a little tour of the hospital before the day of your surgery. This video will enable you to familiarize yourself with the steps in a surgery much like the one you will be having and to see how everything is going to happen.
This video has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. It is not necessarily a representation of all the best practices in place at Montfort.
Upon your arrival, a clerk will welcome you, validate your health card and invite you to complete a COVID-19 screening test. They will give you a stretcher number, and asks you to go to the waiting room.
When the team will be ready for you, you will head to your assigned stretcher in the day surgery unit.
A follow-up screen will allow the person accompanying to see in real time all of the various steps involved in your surgery. It indicates your surgeon’s name as well as the stages of your surgery. No information is displayed that could enable others to identify you.
We recommend that you leave any valuable items, such as your cell phone and wallet, at home. All you need is your health card.
If you have valuable items with you, please give them to the person accompanying you, in the waiting room.
All accompanying persons must remain in the waiting room during your operation.
Before your surgery
For day surgery, you are asked to put on a hospital gown and store your personal belongings in your personal bag, which will be placed in a secure location during your surgery.
Your surgeon comes to see you, reviews each of the steps with you and reassures you about the surgery. The surgeon ensures that you still agree to proceed with the surgery.
Your anaesthetist also comes to talk to you about the type of anaesthesia you will be given, reviews each of the steps with you, and reassures you about the anaesthesia procedure and pain management.
Your nurse comes to prepare you for the surgery, takes your vital signs, gives you your medications, if any, and makes sure that you have everything you need.
At the time of your surgery
A porter comes to take you to the operating room.
From there, a nurse comes to do a final check before you go into the operating room. You may have to wait a moment outside the room.
In the operating room, several members of the team are present around you. You may see a porter, nurses, your surgeon, your anaesthetist, a respiratory therapist and, sometimes, a resident or medical student, there to observe the surgery.
After your surgery
After your surgery, you are taken to the recovery room. When you wake up, you will be attached to a monitor that continuously monitors your vital signs, and allows your nurse to see how you are doing. Your nurse also makes sure that you are comfortable and gives you pain and nausea medication, if you need it.
When you are ready to leave the recovery room, a porter takes you either to day surgery, if the plan is for you to go home the same day, or to your room, if you are going to be staying at the hospital.
When it comes time to go home, a member of the team will contact your accompanying person so that they can take you home.
Your care team is available to answer your questions before, during and after your surgery.
We hope that this overview answers your questions, and reassures you about your upcoming surgery.
We look forward to seeing you at your next appointment.
Clinical information documents
General surgery
- Bowel surgery
- Cholecystectomy
- Fistulectomy / Sphincterotomy
- Hemorrhoidectomy
- Hernia
- Jackson-Pratt Drain
- Pilonidal cyst
Gynaecological surgery
Orthopedic surgery
- Knee Arthroplasty
- Hip Arthroplasty
- How to measure and use your crutches
- Shoulder arthroplasty
- Arthroscopy
- Fasciotomy
- Foot, ankle, or tibia surgery
- Anterior cruciate ligament
- Hallux Valgus or Bunionectomy
- Additional resources for hip and knee replacement
Ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery
Breast Surgery
- Sentinel lymph node biopsy
- Breast Cancer Surgery
- Locating a tumour using a radioactive seed
- Mastectomy
- Breast Reduction and Lift - Dr. Ferron
- Breast Reduction and Lift - Dr. Gallant
Urological surgery
- Circumcision
- Cystoscopy
- Hydrocelectomy / Spermatocelectomy
- Postoperative instructions - Caring for your vesical catheter
- Postoperative instructions - Orchidectomy
- Radical prostatectomy
- Transurethral prostate resection
Also consult the documents available free of charge on the Canadian Urological Association's website by clicking here.
Exercise programs
- Exercises for the knee
- Exercises after a knee arthroscopy
- Exercises for the hip
- Exercises after a hip replacement
- Exercises after breast surgery
- Exercises after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction
- Exercises after meniscus repair
- Exercises after shoulder surgery
- Exercises for the bladder
Note on GLP1 receptor agonist medications
If you have stopped taking a GLP1 receptor agonist medication - Semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus), Dulaglutide (Trulicity) or Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) - in preparation for your surgery, discuss with your surgeon or endocrinologist about the recommended indications concerning restarting your medication.
Additional Notes
Patients with an appointment will receive
an automated reminder by phone, up to
5 days prior to their appointment.
This service requires a medical referral from your physician.
Coordinates
Pre-admission: Level 1, wing C. Room 1C175
Operating Room: Level 2, wing A. Room 2A105 or 2A140
613-748-4946, if you think you will be late the morning of your surgery