Patient Information
What to expect — from the moment you book your first appointment through to your recovery. These pages are written to answer the questions most patients have before they think to ask them.
Book ConsultationConsultation Process
1. Booking
Contact the clinic by phone or through the online form. Let us know whether you have existing imaging or reports — it helps to prepare for your appointment, though it is not required for a first visit. Appointments are typically available within 3–5 working days. Same-week appointments may be available depending on the schedule — contact the clinic directly to check.
2. Before You Arrive
Bring any MRI, CT, or X-ray imaging you have, along with previous medical reports, a referral letter if applicable, and a list of your current medications. Note down your symptoms — when they started, what makes them better or worse, and how they are affecting your daily life.
3. The Consultation
Allow 30–45 minutes. Dr. Viswanath will take a clinical history, conduct a physical and neurological examination, and review your imaging. The consultation ends with a clear explanation of findings and a discussion of the options — conservative, investigative, or surgical — that apply to your situation.
4. After Your Appointment
A care plan is communicated in plain language — verbal during the consultation, and in written form where appropriate. If further imaging is required before a decision can be made, that will be arranged. If surgery is being considered, the next step is a detailed pre-operative conversation, not a schedule.
If Surgery Is Recommended
A surgical recommendation at this practice is preceded by a detailed explanation of what the procedure involves, why it is being recommended, what it is expected to achieve, and what it is not. No procedure is scheduled until you have had the opportunity to ask questions and have received answers you are satisfied with.
Pre-operative Assessment
Before surgery, you will require a pre-operative medical assessment — typically including blood tests, an ECG, and physician clearance if you have existing medical conditions. These are arranged through your GP or the hospital’s pre-admission clinic depending on your location.
Preparing at Home
Arrange for a family member or close support person to be with you during your hospital admission and for the first few days at home. Consider practical preparations: a firm chair at sitting height, a raised toilet seat if lumbar surgery is planned, and a bedroom on the ground floor if stair climbing will be restricted. Your care team will provide specific guidance based on your procedure.
Day of Surgery
You will be admitted on the morning of your procedure or the evening before, depending on the surgical schedule. Fasting instructions will be provided in advance. The surgical and anaesthetic team will introduce themselves before the procedure. After surgery, you will recover in a monitored setting before being moved to the ward.
Anaesthesia
Pain at the surgical site is expected and managed with medication. Most patients are mobile — with assistance — within 24 hours of spinal decompression procedures. Hospital stay is typically two to four days for straightforward procedures and slightly longer for fusion surgeries.
What Recovery Looks Like
Days 1–3
Most spinal procedures are performed under general anaesthesia — you will be fully asleep for the duration of the surgery. In some minimally invasive procedures, regional anaesthesia with sedation may be used instead. The anaesthesiologist will review your medical history, current medications, and any previous anaesthetic experiences before the procedure. They are present throughout the surgery and manage your pain in the immediate post-operative period. You will have an opportunity to speak with the anaesthesiologist before the day of surgery if you have specific concerns.
Weeks 1–4
The first weeks involve structured activity restriction — avoiding lifting, bending, and twisting depending on the procedure. Wound care instructions are provided on discharge. Physiotherapy typically begins between two and four weeks post-operatively, starting gently and progressing based on your tolerance and recovery.
Months 1–3
Return to desk-based work is generally possible within four to eight weeks for most procedures. Driving is usually permitted once you are off strong pain medication and can perform an emergency stop comfortably — typically four to six weeks. Physiotherapy becomes more active during this period, focused on rebuilding strength and movement confidence.
Months 3–6 and Beyond
Return to physical activity, sport, and manual work is guided by both clinical progress and, for fusion procedures, imaging confirmation that consolidation is occurring. Full recovery in complex cases may take up to twelve months. Recovery timelines are individual — they depend on the procedure, your baseline fitness, and how your body heals.
Informed Consent Is a Conversation
The consent process at this practice is not a form signed in the pre-operative corridor. It is a conversation that begins at the point a surgical option is first discussed, continues through the pre-operative appointment, and remains open until the procedure begins. You are encouraged to ask questions at every stage — and to ask the same question more than once if the answer was not clear.
Second opinions are not discouraged. If you want time to think, time to seek another perspective, or simply time — take it. A procedure that is scheduled before a patient is genuinely ready is not a good outcome for either party. Surgery is offered because it is clinically indicated, not because it is the next step in a process.