A. What medications do I need to stop before the procedure?

For any procedures performed under X-ray on the spine or nerves, patients are required to stop the following medications prior to their procedure:

1. NSAIDS: these potentially blood-thinning medications must be stopped for at least three days prior to the procedure. These include for example: Ibuprofen, Naproxen, or Etodolac. There will be no exceptions.

2. Aspirins: products containing any aspirin or its relatives must be stopped for at least seven days prior to the procedure. There will be no exceptions.

3. Warfarin (coumadin) or other blood-thinning medications (others include Plavix, Aggrenox, etc.): in coordination with your primary care physician, these need to be stopped for at least five days prior to the procedure. Please call us if you are not sure about when or how to stop it. Some patients may require special arrangements regarding their blood-thinning medications.

B. When do I stop eating prior to the procedure?

No food or drink after midnight the night before the procedure. It is required that patients have an empty stomach when they arrive for their procedure and that they stop eating or drinking after midnight the night prior to their procedure. However, patients may have only one sip of clear water up to four hours before their scheduled procedure.

C. Do patients need to make arrangements for transportation?

Yes, patients will not be allowed to drive home and will be required to have a designated driver to take them home on the day of the procedure. The reason for this rule is that patients may receive sedating medications or have discomfort after the procedure, which can distract them from safely driving home.

D. How long will the procedure take and how long can patients expect to be at the procedure center?

Patients can expect to spend 1 1/2 to 2 hours at the procedure center. Depending on the type of procedure you will get, you may actually see the physician for 10 minutes to one hour. Checking in and out of the procedure center takes the remainder of the time.