Day of Surgery
Written by Richard R. Moy, DPM, FACFAS, Podiatric Foot & Ankle Surgeon, bunion surgery experience since 1992.
Last medically reviewed: August 6, 2026
What to Expect on the Day of Surgery
Arrival: Patients arrive at the surgical center approximately one hour before their scheduled surgery. Patients should not eat anything for 8 hours or drink anything for 4 hours before the scheduled surgery time.
Before surgery: A friend or family member escorts the patient to the surgical suite, where a TV, music, or magazine is available while waiting. Including paperwork, preparation, and post-operative care, patients can expect to be at the surgery center for about three hours; the surgery itself takes about one hour.
After surgery: The patient's experience is documented the same way as the rest of the practice's evidence: a written evaluation completed a few days after surgery. See Is Bunion Surgery Painful? for how that evaluation process works and what patients report.
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This website provides general educational information and reflects Dr. Moy's clinical experience and professional opinions. It is not a substitute for an individual medical examination, diagnosis, treatment plan, or emergency care.
Every patient's anatomy, health, bone quality, procedure, healing response, and recovery are different. Recovery milestones and outcomes described on this website are typical or reported experiences and are not guarantees.
Patients should follow their own written postoperative instructions and contact the office promptly with unusual symptoms. Sudden chest pain, difficulty breathing, fainting, or another emergency requires immediate emergency medical care.