From referral
to recovery.

Once a decision is made to proceed with surgery, the practice will work with you and the hospital to prepare. The structured preparation below maximises your safety and recovery.

Pre-admission pack

You will complete a pre-admission pack — covering your medical history, regular medications, allergies, and previous anaesthetic experiences. Submit this at least one week before surgery. The pack also includes an anaesthetic questionnaire that may trigger a phone call from the anaesthetist for clarification.

Fasting

• Nothing to eat for six hours before surgery.
• Plain water permitted up to two hours before surgery.
• Specific instructions may vary by procedure and anaesthetic plan — follow the hospital's written instructions if they differ.

Medications

• Most regular medications are taken normally on the day of surgery, with a sip of water.
• Stronger anticoagulants (warfarin, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban) are typically stopped 5–7 days before surgery. A bridging Clexane (low molecular weight heparin) may be required.
• Aspirin, clopidogrel, and other antiplatelets — follow Mr Gormack's specific instruction.
• Diabetic medications — particular care is needed for insulin and SGLT-2 inhibitors. The pre-admission team will guide you.

Optimisation in the weeks before surgery

The weeks before surgery are an opportunity to actively improve your recovery odds.

• Smoking — stop or reduce. Even a few weeks of cessation improves wound healing.
• Nutrition — adequate protein supports tissue repair.
• Exercise — pre-habilitation strengthens muscles supporting the operated joint.
• Diabetes — tighter glycaemic control reduces infection risk.
• Dental — address any pending dental work before joint replacement surgery.

Hospital stay (typical)

• Same day discharge — most arthroscopies (knee, hip), simple removals of metalware.
• One night — shoulder reconstruction, ACL reconstruction, hip arthroscopy.
• Two to three nights — total hip replacement, total knee replacement.
• Two to seven nights — revision arthroplasty and complex reconstruction.

Transport home

You cannot drive yourself home — and you should not drive at all for two to four hours after a general anaesthetic. Plan a support person to collect you, or arrange a taxi.

A clear, practical guide to the first weeks and months after your operation. The specific timeline depends on the procedure — your discharge summary contains the version that applies to you.

Driving

• 1–2 weeks — knee arthroscopy.
• 3–4 weeks — ACL reconstruction, hip arthroscopy.
• 6 weeks — total hip replacement, total knee replacement, shoulder reconstruction.
• Driving requires safe emergency braking and full control; do not drive until you are confident you can do both.

Returning to work

Return-to-work timing varies by job demands. Sedentary office work is often possible within 1–2 weeks of arthroscopic surgery and 4–6 weeks of joint replacement. Manual or physically demanding work may require 6–12 weeks or longer. Discuss specifics with Mr Gormack at your follow-up.

Follow-up

• First post-operative review at 10–14 days for wound check, stitch removal where required, and progress assessment.
• A wound care nurse is available between scheduled appointments if you have concerns.

Wound care

Waterproof dressings with dissolving stitches stay on until your follow-up. The dressing can usually be left in place during showering — check your discharge summary for procedure-specific guidance. Avoid baths and pools until the wound is fully healed.

Physiotherapy

Avoid physiotherapy or rehabilitation exercises for two weeks while wounds heal — unless explicitly instructed otherwise. Your structured rehabilitation programme begins after this initial period.

Normal symptoms

• Swelling around the operated joint, often peaking in the second week.
• Mild post-operative pain that gradually improves day by day.
• Low-grade temperature in the first 2–3 days.
• Bruising — sometimes tracking surprisingly far from the surgical site.
• Clicking or snapping with movement as swelling settles.
• Patches of numbness around the wound.
• Minor wound drainage in the first few days.

Travel restrictions

Avoid long-distance travel — especially flights longer than 4 hours — for six weeks after lower-limb surgery, owing to the elevated risk of deep vein thrombosis. Mobilise frequently, hydrate, and consider compression stockings if travel within this window is unavoidable.

Mr Gormack is an ACC accredited surgeon and a Southern Cross Affiliated Provider. The practice supports multiple payment pathways.

Quotes for surgery are provided in writing before any decision is made. Hospital and anaesthetist fees are billed separately and should be clarified during the planning phase.

Ascot Office Park — Remuera (Main Rooms)

Parking is available on-site at Ascot Office Park; building C reception will direct you. Reception is on Level 2.

Ormiston Specialist Centre — Flat Bush

Parking is on-site at Ormiston Hospital. The Specialist Centre is on the ground floor, signposted from the main hospital entrance.

Cavendish Clinic — Manukau

Parking on-site. The clinic is on Cavendish Drive, accessible from the State Highway 20 / Wiri off-ramp.

Pakuranga Medical Centre

Parking on-site. The centre is at 13 Cortina Place — a short walk from Pakuranga Plaza.

See all locations with maps and directions →