Be sure you have someone to take you home. Anesthesia and
pain medicine will make it unsafe for you to drive or get
home on your own.

Understand exactly what procedure is planned, along with
the risks, benefits, and other options.

Tell your doctor ALL the medicines, vitamins, supplements,
and herbal remedies you take. Some may increase the risk
of problems during your procedure. Your doctor will tell
you if you should stop taking any of them before the
procedure and how soon to do it.

If you take a medicine that prevents blood clots, your
doctor may tell you to stop taking it before your
procedure. Or your doctor may tell you to keep taking it.
(These medicines include aspirin and other blood
thinners.) Make sure that you understand exactly what your
doctor wants you to do.

Make sure your doctor and the hospital have a copy of your
advance directive. If you don't have one, you may want to
prepare one. It lets others know your health care wishes.
It's a good thing to have before any type of surgery or
procedure.

Follow the instructions exactly about when to stop eating
and drinking. If you don't, your procedure may be
canceled. If your doctor told you to take your medicines
on the day of the procedure, take them with only a sip of
water.

Follow your doctor's instructions about when to bathe or
shower before your procedure. Do not apply lotions,
perfumes, deodorants, or nail polish.

Take off all jewelry and piercings. And take out contact
lenses, if you wear them.

Bring a picture ID.

You will be kept comfortable and safe by your anesthesia
provider. You may get medicine that relaxes you or puts
you in a light sleep. The area being worked on will be
numb.

After the procedure, pressure may be applied to the area
where the catheter was put into your blood vessel. This
will help prevent bleeding. A small device may also be
used to close the blood vessel. The area may be covered
with a bandage or a compression device.

Nurses will check your heart rate and blood pressure. The
nurse also will check the catheter site for bleeding.

You may have a bruise or a small lump where the catheter
was put in your blood vessel. This is normal and will go
away.

You will need to lie still and keep your leg straight for
up to a few hours. The nurse may put a weighted bag on
your leg to keep it still.

The procedure will take about 30 to 40 minutes.

You have questions or concerns.

You don't understand how to prepare for your procedure.

You become ill before the procedure (such as fever, flu,
or a cold).

You need to reschedule or have changed your mind about
having the procedure.