http://bit.ly/PreOpFacebook or http://bit.ly/PreOpTwitter - Patient Education - http://www.PreOp.com
Patient Education Company
Following the procedure, you'll be moved then to a recovery area where you can relax until the sedation and anesthetic has worn off - and until the doctor is satisfied that you are fit to go home. Plan on spending several hours in recovery. Your doctor may be able to give you a more precise estimate prior to surgery.
Before you leave, you'll probably be prescribed a pain killer along with any other medication your doctor feels you need to take.
Splenectomy surgery only rarely leads to complications.
In adults, the liver and other parts of the immune system are susceptible. In children however, the loss of the spleen can weaken the immune system.
In either case, your doctor may prescribe a series of antibiotics to help your body's immune system fight off bacterial infections - such as pneumonia and pancreatitis.
Another potential side effect of surgery is a persistent residual neuralgia - or pain - around the scar. It can be either localized or general.
It may develop soon after surgery - or even weeks or months later. Usually it will decrease in intensity with time. But in very rare situations it can become permanent.
Patient Education
More frequently patients report achiness in the shoulders and chest. This is caused by the body's reaction to the carbon dioxide used to inflate the abdomen and it will clear up in a matter of a few days.
The most serious problem would likely be a puncture the bowel or liver. But these are very rare occurrences.
Finally, as mentioned earlier, the surgical team may decide to end the laparoscopic procedure and convert to open surgery.
Once you return home, you will be responsible to keeping the dressing intact and clean.
As with all surgery, you should be alert for signs of infection near the incision - increased swelling, redness, bleeding or other discharge. Your doctor may advise you to be on the alert for other symptoms as well. If you experience any unusual symptoms, report them to your doctor right away.
You may also notice some bruising in the general area of the incision. The discoloration may be extensive - but as with any bruise, it should heal on it's own.
Before you leave, you'll be given discharge guidelines which may include diet, medication, work and other activity restrictions.
You'll also make at least one follow-up appointment so that the doctor will be able to check the healing of the incision and/or to remove sutures.
This program has been designed to help you to understand a surgical procedure and to empower you to be an active participant in your own care. We hope that you take the time to discuss alternative treatments with your doctor and that you learn as much as you can about your own particular medical situation.
We also want to make sure that you understand all the risks of surgery and potential complications which can follow - no matter how unlikely they may be.
It's important that you understand exactly what the procedure entails - including the risks, benefits and alternative treatments - before you decide to proceed.
Always remember that the final decision to go ahead or not is up to you.
Patient Education Company
Loading...
3:54Small Incision Cataract Surgery PreOp Patient E...by PreOpcom272 views
Link to this comment:
All Comments (0)