Answers to Our Most Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have questions about The Flowers Clinic or any of the procedures? On this page, you will find some answers to the most frequently asked questions about Dr Robert S Flowers, the procedures, our clinic, and other general information.

• Patient Confidentail Medical History Form
• Patient History Form
• Records Release Authorization
• Preoperative Instructions
• General Postoperative Instructions 

Instructions For Patients Contemplating Surgery

In preparation for “smooth sailing” during your contemplated surgical procedure(s), there are some precautions which you should take at the present time.

1. During the several months preceding your surgical procedure, alcohol should be eliminated or kept to a minimum. This allows the liver to be in optimal health and to manufacture ample supplies of agents necessary to effectively coagulate the blood and prevent excessive bleeding during surgery.
2. From the time surgery is scheduled until the surgery itself, it is advisable to take supplemental doses of vitamin C. This may be taken in 500 mg tablets twice a day. The reason for this is to thicken the walls of capillaries and decrease bruising. It is especially important for people who regularly consume cocktails or other forms of alcohol on a daily basis. The liver in such people is in a compromised state of health and does not manufacture normal quantities of vitamin C; thus it is especially important that vitamin C supplements be taken.
3. People who are unable to discontinue alcohol intake prior to surgery should make it known to the doctor or nurses so they can arrange for you to take supplemental vitamin K before surgery. This will aid in the normal clotting of blood during and after surgery. Regular intake of alcohol prevents the normal manufacture of vitamin K by the liver, and K is essential for normal blood clotting. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that you are honest with the surgical personnel concerning your intake. We are not interested in reforming your drinking habits, but we are immensely interested in a smooth uncomplicated operative and postoperative experience. Your being honest and upfront with us about what goes into your body and what your lifestyle is will enable us to help assure you of the safest surgical and postoperative course.
4. Aspirin and any products with aspirin in them such as Empirin, Alka-Seltzer, Bufferin, Anacin, Percodan, etc. are powerful anticoagulants and can result in profuse bleeding during surgery. If you have an arthritic condition requiring aspirin treatment, you should make this known to your doctor so a substitute product can be worked out. It is absolutely essential that you be off all aspirin products for one month prior to your surgical procedure. In the case of a surgical procedure being scheduled with a shorter planning period and if aspirin products have been taken, please make this known to Dr. Flowers! For simple headaches, Extra-Strength Tylenol works as an excellent substitute for aspirin. Tylenol does not have the anticoagulant effects of aspirin and therefore is harmless in this instance.
5. Do not take any Ibuprofen containing pain medication or any anti-inflammatory agent prior to surgery. Discuss this with your surgeon if this poses a problem.
6. Large doses of vitamins (except vitamin C) result in vascularization of normally unvascularized tissues. What this means is that taking large doses of vitamin supplements can result in an overgrowth of blood vessels in the surgical area, areas which normally have very few blood vessels. This can make the surgery much more difficult, much more lengthy, and a great deal more blood will be lost. Complications of blood loss are increased. Therefore, as soon as the decision is made to proceed with surgery by Dr. Flowers, it is absolutely essential that this vitamin therapy be discontinued. It may be started once again at any point three weeks after surgery.
7. Vitamin E is a profound anticoagulant and should be totally discontinued. If supplemental vitamin E is being taken, it should be discontinued immediately upon scheduling your surgical procedure and avoided until after surgery when its resumption is cleared with Dr. Flowers. It should not be reinstituted until at least three weeks after surgery. Taking vitamin E up until the time of surgery and in the early postoperative period can result in wound complications and bleeding.
8. Stop all Chinese herb preparations (and other herb supplements) well in advance of your operation.
9. Cigarette smoking should be discontinued or minimized as much as possible during the preoperative period. If marijuana is used, this should be avoided for one month before surgery and should certainly be avoided in the early postoperative period. This will minimize the chance of lung problems after surgery. Facelift patients must stop smoking well in advance of their operation. (There is a ten-fold increase in serious post-operative problems in people who have not discontinued their smoking).
10. Anyone on any type of cortisone treatment or other anti-inflammatory agents should make this known to the personnel in the office – and the doctor should be made aware of this. If possible it should be discontinued several months preceding your surgery. In certain instances it will be medically infeasible to discontinue this and surgery must be performed while still on this therapy. In such people it is once again especially important that vitamin C be taken to help strengthen the capillaries, which have been made excessively thin from the cortisone therapy.
11. All patients planning on home care postoperatively must arrange for a responsible adult to be with them after surgery – at least until the following morning. The ride home is best – done in a car with a reclining seat, or with a large back seat and a pillow. We can arrange after care and limousine transportation providing we know of the need well in advance of surgery. Inadequate home care or transportation will result in hospitalization for which the patient will be responsible. Our number one concern is your well being, and on that we will not compromise!

All of the above are essential for a smooth surgical course and will make your operation easier and safer.

IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU READ AND COMPLY WITH THESE REQUESTS.  IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS MATERIAL, PLEASE CONSULT ONE OF OUR PERSONNEL OR DR. FLOWERS.