What Happens on Surgery Day: Hour-by-Hour Guide

Knowing exactly what happens on surgery day — hour by hour — eliminates the unknown. Here's the typical timeline at a JCI-accredited Colombian hospital, from wake-up to your first post-op check-in.

The Timeline

6:00 AM — Wake-up and preparation. No food or water since midnight (NPO since midnight). Shower with antibacterial soap if instructed. Wear comfortable, loose clothing. Leave jewelry at your recovery house.

7:00 AM — Transport to hospital. Recovery house nurse or coordinator arranges transport. Uber is also reliable ($3–$5 in Medellín).

7:30 AM — Check-in and admissions. Present passport, surgical authorization, and insurance documents. International patient department handles paperwork. Change into hospital gown.

8:00 AM — Pre-op area. Vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, oxygen saturation). IV line placed. Final review of consent forms. Mark surgical sites (if applicable).

8:30 AM — Anesthesiologist visit. Final airway assessment. Review of your medical history and medications. Discussion of anesthesia plan. Any last questions answered.

9:00 AM — Operating room. Walk or wheelchair to OR. Final safety checklist (WHO Surgical Safety Checklist — same protocol used in US hospitals). Monitors connected. Anesthesia administered.

9:15 AM – 12:00 PM — Procedure. Duration varies: LASIK (15 min/eye), rhinoplasty (1.5–3 hrs), BBL (3–5 hrs), knee replacement (1.5–2 hrs).

12:00 PM — Recovery room (PACU). Post-anesthesia monitoring until Aldrete score criteria met (consciousness, breathing, circulation, oxygen, activity). Typically 1–2 hours. Pain management initiated.

2:00 PM — Transfer. To hospital room (overnight procedures) or recovery house/hotel (outpatient procedures). Discharge instructions provided in English.

4:00–6:00 PM — First post-op check. Surgeon or nursing staff assesses surgical sites, checks drains (if applicable), adjusts medications. WhatsApp communication established for ongoing follow-up.