From plastic surgery to orthopedics or laser eye surgery, Towne Centre Surgery Center at St. Mary's of Michigan Towne Centre offers expert outpatient services. You'll notice a warm, friendly atmosphere and personal attention from our staff. Because we specialize in "same day" surgery, we can devote individual time and attention to you.

We have the most up-to-date surgical equipment for your surgeon to use, and our staff is specially trained to serve the needs of our surgical patients.

Your surgeon performs the procedure, assisted by our registered nurses and trained technicians, and monitored by an anesthesia team member. After your surgery, you'll be ready for our fully-equipped recovery room where you'll be attended by your anesthesiologist and recovery room nurse until you're ready to go home.

While problems rarely occur, our center is fully equipped with all the necessary staff and equipment to care for a patient who has an unexpected complication.

What is outpatient surgery?

With improved technology and advances in anesthesia and pain control, many less invasive surgical procedures are now being performed on an outpatient, or ambulatory, basis. Common procedures that are now routinely performed on an outpatient basis include tonsillectomies, hernia repairs, gallbladder removals, some cosmetic surgeries, and cataract surgeries. Given the millions of procedures performed every year, complications from outpatient procedures are relatively uncommon.

Not all patients are candidates for outpatient surgery and some procedures still require hospitalization. A patient's medical history and the advice of the surgeon and anesthesiologist are important in determining if the procedure is best performed on an outpatient or inpatient basis.

What are the benefits of outpatient surgery at Towne Centre Surgery Center at St. Mary's of Michigan Towne Center?

There are many advantages of outpatient surgery over traditional, inpatient surgery. These include the following:

• Convenience -- The convenience of recovering in your home generally makes recovery time quicker and easier than an in-hospital stay.
• Lower cost -- Since there are no hospital room charges, and related hospital charges, costs are much lower for outpatient surgery. Some insurance companies will cover certain surgical procedures only on an outpatient basis, unless your physician certifies that you require a more intensive level of post-operative care due to an underlying medical condition.
• Reduced stress -- In the majority of cases, outpatient surgery is less stressful than inpatient surgery. This is especially true for children who are afraid of being away from home. Most people prefer to recover in their homes rather than in the hospital.
• More predictable scheduling -- In a hospital setting, emergency surgeries and procedures that take longer than expected can delay scheduled surgeries. An outpatient setting can generally stay within a set schedule since the procedures are more simple and routine.

Patients who undergo an outpatient procedure should have someone to drive them home and stay with them following the procedure. Most patients are restricted from driving for 24 hours after surgery. Patients often experience drowsiness and minor after-effects, such as muscle aches, sore throat and occasional dizziness and headaches. Occasionally nausea may also be present. There may also be fatigue and discomfort for a day or two following the surgery. This discomfort varies depending on the type of surgical procedure performed.