There are several things that you can do to improve your outcome following surgery. Below is a brief list of tips and instructions to make your recovery better.
For the first 24 hours following surgery:
- Do not drive a car or operate any machinery that requires your full concentration.
- Do not drink alcohol or take any recreational drugs.
- Do not sign any legal papers or make any major life
decisions. - Have someone stay with you or check on you and help with
some of your daily activities.
For the first 48 hours following surgery:
- Elevate the extremity that was operated on above the level of your heart. One method that works well for the leg is to use the larger cushions from a couch and place this on your bed. Place your leg on the top of this cushion while you lie flat on your back. Your leg must be higher than your heart.
- Apply ice to the extremity intermittently. Twenty minutes of every hour is a good rule-of-thumb. Commercial ice bags work well or you can make your own by freezing 1 part rubbing alcohol and 3 parts water in a ziploc bag. Other patients use frozen bags of peas which easily form to your extremity. Keeping the extremity is important to reduce pain and inflammation.
- Be sure to take the medication that your physician prescribed. Waiting to take your medication in the hopes that your pain will subside will result in more medication needed to get your pain under control. Stay ahead of the pain with the prescribed meds.
Taking care of your incision(s):
- Keep your dressing clean and clean.
- Sponge bathing is probable the easiest way to keep your
dressing dry. - If you shower, first wrap the area with an absorbent terry
cloth towel. Cover this with a large plastic bag and tape the top. Keep the spray away from the extremity and never submerse the extremity in water. Dry your entire body off before taking the bag off. - Unless you are instructed otherwise by your physician, after 72 hours you can remove the dressing around your extremity.
- Some bloody drainage in and around the dressing is normal. Cleanse the area with warm soapy water and blot dry.
- Report any abnormalities around the incisions to our office. It is normal to have some mild to moderate redness around the incisions and you may even notice some clear or even blood tinged drainage from the area for the first few days.
When to call:
Please notify us if any of the following symptoms occur. If your symptoms increase suddenly and you do not hear from us within a reasonable amount of time, report to the nearest emergency room for evaluation and treatment.
- Increasing drainage from the incisions.
- Increasing redness.
- Foul odor.
- Increasing swelling accompanied by pain.
- Fever over 101 degrees (take your temperature twice to
ensure accuracy). - Increasing pain not relieved with rest, elevation, ice and
the pain medication. - Coldness, numbness or a sustained blue color to your
extremity. - Sudden onset of calf pain.
- Sudden onset of shortness of breath.
- Chest pain.