What to Expect on the Day of Parathyroid Surgery

I'm Dr. Michael Yeh from UCLA Health Endocrine Surgery.

We understand that surgery can feel stressful, so we want to walk you through exactly what to expect on the day of your parathyroid procedure.

What to Expect on the Day of Parathyroid Surgery

Arrival & Pre-Op

• Arrival Time: Please arrive about 1.5 hours before your scheduled surgery.
• Fasting: Make sure you’ve had nothing to eat or drink for about 10 hours before arrival.
• You’ll be brought to a private area to change, and a nurse will place an IV in your arm.
• You'll meet the care team—nurses, anesthesiologists, and your surgical team, who will stop by to check in and say hello.
• The anesthesiologist will ask you a few questions and then give you medication to help you relax and feel a bit drowsy.
• You’ll then be taken to the operating room, and the next thing you’ll remember is waking up after surgery.

Recovery & Discharge

• When you wake up, you’ll have a small bandage on your neck. You may notice some numbness around your ears or jawline—this is normal and due to local medication used to minimize pain.
• You’ll stay in the recovery area for about 4 hours under observation.
• During that time, we’ll manage any discomfort or nausea, and you’ll be given something to drink, followed by something light to eat.
• After 4 hours, you’ll be ready to go home with:
  • Discharge instructions
  • Medications
  • Your follow-up appointment information (usually scheduled for 2 weeks later via video—feel free to reschedule if needed).

Overnight Stays

Most patients go home the same day. However, a small number of patients may be asked to stay overnight, particularly if:

• You live far away, or
• You live alone and don’t have immediate help at home

If you stay overnight, you’ll typically be discharged early the next morning (around 6–7 AM). We’re here to support you every step of the way. If you have any questions before or after surgery, don’t hesitate to reach out.

We look forward to helping you through a smooth and safe recovery.

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