On the day of anal cancer surgery
You see your surgeon and the anaesthetist who will be looking after you during the operation. They talk to you again about the surgery and anaesthetic and answer any questions you have. Your nurse prepares you to go for surgery.
When it is time, you go to the operating theatre for your operation.
Before you leave home
The hospital staff will tell you what time you need to be there for your operation. You normally go into hospital on the day of your surgery. But sometimes you might go in the night before.
If the hospital has sent you a letter telling you the time and date of your admission, take that with you when.
Make sure you know where to go when you arrive. And if you are running late, call them to let them know.
Follow any instructions you were given at your pre operative assessment about how to prepare for your admission to hospital. This includes information on:
- showering
- not using certain hair and body products, including make up and nail varnish
- what to take with you and what not to take
For anal surgery you may also need to follow information on:
- having carbohydrate drinks
- taking medicine to clean your bowel – this is normally a liquid you drink that makes you have loose poo
Before your operation
Your nurse will go through a series of questions on a checklist to make sure you are ready for surgery. They ask you to:
- tell them when you last had something to eat and drink
- change into a hospital gown
- put on a pair of anti embolism stockings - these help prevent blood clots
- take off any jewellery - you may be able to keep a wedding ring on
- remove contact lenses if you have them
- wear a hospital identification band - this is normally on your wrist
If you have false teeth you can usually keep them in until you get to the anaesthetic room.
Preparing the area
For some types of surgery, your nurse asks if they can remove the hair around the operation area. This is to help prevent an infection. They might remove the hair on the ward before you go for your operation. Or when you’re in the operating theatre.
Who you see before your operation
Before you go for surgery you will see members of your health care team again. You have a chance to ask them any questions you have or explain if you have any concerns. You normally see:
Your surgeon
They talk through the operation and consent form again with you.
Your anaesthetist
They ask you questions about your health and explain about the type of anaesthetic they are going to give you. They also explain what pain killers you are going to have afterwards.
Your anaesthetist may also ask you to have some medicine before you go for your operation. This can include medicine to help you relax (premed) or to help stop you feeling sick after the operation.
Your stoma nurse
If you are having a 
as part of your operation, you might see your stoma nurse again. They draw on your tummy (abdomen) to show your surgeon where they think is best for your stoma.
Having an anaesthetic
You have an anaesthetic so that you can’t feel anything during the operation. You have this in the anaesthetic room or the operating theatre.
There are different types of anaesthetic. These include:
- local anaesthetic to numb a small area
- regional anaesthetic to numb a large area or part of your body – this includes epidural and spinal anaesthetic
- general anaesthetic so you are asleep during the operation
- medicine to make you relax – this is called sedation
You might have more than one type of anaesthetic for your operation.
Your anaesthetist puts a small tube (cannula) into a vein in your arm. You have any fluids and medicines you need through the cannula. This includes general anaesthetic and sedation.
Before your operation your anaesthetist might put a small tube through the skin of your back. It goes into the fluid around your spinal cord. They can attach a pump to this tube to give you pain medicines during and after the operation.
More information
We have more information on what happens on the day of cancer surgery, including:
- getting ready for your operation
- going to the operating theatre
- how you have the different types of anaesthetic
