Important!!

• It is very important to use your incentive spirometer and cough and deep breathe for several minutes every hour. This will prevent pneumonia.
• Flex your leg calf muscles for 3 minutes every hour while awake. Avoid crossing or massaging your legs.
• Start walking the first night after surgery even if it is just a walk around the bed.
• Drink plenty of fluids (at least eight glasses of water or equivalent a day).

1. Prescriptions:

• Use medications as prescribed. You may resume your pre-op medications, except aspirin and Motrin, which you should not take for one week after surgery.
• Do not drink alcoholic beverages – beer and wine included – for 48 hours. They do not mix with anesthesia and may make you very sick. Also do not mix alcoholic beverages with pain pills.
• Do not do anything that requires any coordination for 48 hours after surgery and while you are taking pain medication. The medication and/or anesthetic agents may interfere with good judgment.
• DO NOT DRIVE FOR ONE WEEK AFTER SURGERY.

2. Observe your incisions and skin carefully. If you notice excessive swelling, redness, bleeding, soreness, puffiness, unusual drainage or opening of an incision, please call Dr. Andochick.

3. Going up and down stairs when you get home should be held to a minimum. You might find that you have to walk stooped over for up to two weeks after surgery. It may be easier to hold a pillow against your abdomen while walking.

4. Elevate both your head and feet with two or three pillows to relieve tension on the suture line.

5. It will be necessary for you to be discharged with drains. Please record the drainage amount every eight hours on your drainage sheet and add up the 24 hour totals.

6. Once your drains are removed, it is not unusual to have an accumulation of fluid in the lower abdomen. Signs of fluid build up will be a visible fluid wave, tightness, or abdominal swelling. This fluid will be drawn off in the office.

7. Avoid heavy lifting, pushing, pulling, straining, or exercise for six weeks after surgery.

8. Bathing: On the third day after surgery, you may take a shower. Leave steri-strips on your incision, but remove gauze from the belly-button and around drains. Wash with soap and water, holding drains and pain pump with a hanger or string. Pat dry and apply antibiotic ointment to drain site and umbilicus. DO NOT TAKE A BATH FOR FOUR WEEKS.

9. You may drink liquids when you arrive home. By evening, you may have a light meal.

10. Do not smoke for four weeks after surgery as this affects healing.

11. Patients must not be left alone for 24 hours.

12. Do not use a heating pad or hot water bottle on the abdomen. You will have a temporary loss of sensation and it will be easy to obtain a skin burn.

13. Do not expose operated areas to sun without protection. Early sun exposure can result in reddening of the scar that may be permanent. After your incision has healed, always use sunblock for 6-12 months. Starting two weeks after surgery, begin massaging your incision to decrease sensitivity and scar formation.