After-surgery care

What to expect after surgery

We want you to recover well so you experience an excellent outcome. Our team is here to answer your questions and provide personalized guidance about what to expect after surgery.

In general, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Bandages: You may have a dressing over your incision. Keep it in place for 48 hours unless otherwise instructed by your care team. If you have white pieces of tape over your incision (steri-strips), don’t touch them. They will fall off on their own. You’ll need to avoid baths for at least two weeks. Your care team will let you know how soon you can shower, usually within 48 hours.
• Diet: It’s important to reintroduce food slowly after you have anesthesia. Start with light, bland foods, such as crackers, broth, plain toast or mashed potatoes. You can start eating richer foods as you feel able unless your care team instructs you differently.
• Coughing and deep breathing: If you have an abdominal incision, it’s important to cough and breathe deeply several times a day. Doing so will help your circulation, clear your lungs and lower your risk of pneumonia. Place a pillow over your incision to protect it when you cough.
• Fever: A fever of 99-100 degrees is normal. Call your care team if you have a temperature of 101 degrees or higher. They can instruct you on what to do.
• Incision site: Numbness, bruising and slight drainage around your incision is normal. Normal drainage is clear or yellow to faintly bloody and does not smell. Call your care team if you have drainage that smells or is very dark. You should also call your team if you develop redness or warmth around the incision site.
• Pain medication: Your surgeon will give you specific instructions regarding pain medicines. You won’t be able to drive until you’re not taking any pain medications. You will likely need to arrange for someone to take you home after surgery.

How to reduce scar formation

All incisions leave scars. The extent of scarring varies depending on the type of surgery, your age, genetics, overall health and how you care for the incision site. To reduce severe scarring, you can:

• Avoid smoking. Smoking slows healing and can worsen scar formation.
• Protect the incision. Keep the incision clean and dry until it heals. After healing, wear 30 SPF or higher to protect the area from sun exposure.
• Moisturize. Use a fragrance-free lotion that contains vitamin E. You don’t need to buy expensive scar creams or gels.
• Massage the area. You can begin massage when your doctor gives you permission, typically after your postoperative visit. Use lotion and your fingers to apply firm pressure across the scar in all directions. You can also rub the area surrounding the scar. Massage helps increase blood flow and stimulates nerve endings to promote healing.

Caring for a postoperative drain

It’s common to have a drain after surgery, depending on the procedure you had. A drain is a tube that your surgeon places beneath your skin. It allows excess blood and fluid to exit your body, which helps the surgical wound heal faster.

The drain itself is inside your body. It connects to tubing that is stitched to your skin at your incision site. The tubing connects to a bulb that you squeeze to pull fluid out of your body.

Your care team will give you instructions for emptying the drain. You will likely need to empty it at least three times a day for several days. Most drains are removed during an office visit several days or weeks after surgery.