A patient’s guide to surgery Chapter 4: Home Care

This document was written by Ms. Susana Gabriel Garcia, who has been working as a Nurse at Operating Room Unit, Vinmec Times City International Hospital.

Your hospital discharge plan, recovery time and advice will be given by your doctor. You will be instructed on medication, follow-up schedule with doctors and other personal advice based on the classification of your surgery.

• Repetitive vomiting.
• Dressings that are wet through or soaked
• Fever of 38 C or higher (100 F or higher) for more than 24 hours
• Wound that is red, swollen, more sensitive, with yellowish or greenish discharge • Cast or dressing that is too tight and cuts the circulation, resulting in limbs becoming cold, pale, bluish, swollen or painful
• An abdomen that is hard and difficulty to urinate
• You are in more pain and the painkillers are not taking the pain away

NOTE: If you notice one of these symptoms, do not hesitate to contact your doctor. If necessary, go to the hospital in order to receive the care you need.

Recommendations

• A few tips: You must understand the medical orders that you were given for your return home and accept that you must comply with them.
• A safety measure: Once you are at home, avoid locking the door of the room you are in (bathroom, for example). That way, if you’re not feeling well, the person who is at home with you can quickly come to help.

Restarting your medication

• Unless otherwise instructed by your doctor, it is best to avoid taking medication that contains acetylsalicylic acid or ibuprofen for the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery to avoid the risk of bleeding.
• Take medication-containing acetaminophen instead.

Diet

• If you had general anesthesia, it is recommended to eat lightly the first few hours after surgery to avoid nausea. Here are some diet suggestions: broths, soups, crackers, Jelly etc. You can then gradually increase your diet until you are eating normally.

Hydration

• Unless otherwise instructed by your doctor, drink plenty of water. For example, have a glass of water every 2 hours if you are not too nauseous. Staying hydrated promotes good intestinal and urinary elimination. A reason to stay hydrated is because some pain medications can cause constipation.

Rest

• To fully recover, it is important to rest as much as possible. You may feel tired once you return home. Try to alternate between periods of rest and periods of walking around the house. Avoid going outdoors for the first 24 hours, even if you feel fine, if you are out of breath, practice purse-lip breathing.

Pursed-lip breathing

• Breathe in slowly through your nose
• Purse your lips
• Breathe out slowly through your mouth

Preparing materials

Things you will need:

• You will need new bandages, a roll of medical tape, clean scissors, two pairs of disposable gloves, two clean soft cloths a disposable plastic bag and a waste basket.
• Keep this material away from your incision to reduce your risk of infection.

How to change dressings

• Step 1: Wash hands with soap and water and dry them with a clean and dry towel. Clean hand is best protection against spreading infection.
• Step 2: Open a new bandage wrapper, leave the bandage inside the wrapper and be careful not touch it.
• Step 3: Cut four pieces of tape and hang them from the edge of a nearby table or counter. The pieces of tape should be the same length as the old ones around your incision.
• Step 4: Wash hands again with soap and water and dry them with a clean and dry towel.
• Step 5: Put on a new pair of disposable gloves.
• Step 6: With one hand, press down gently on the skin next to the old tape around your incision. With the other hand carefully peel away the old tape toward your incision.
• Step 7: After loosening all the tapes carefully remove the dirty dressing off (don’t touch soiled part). Do not remove any skin closure strips covering your incision let them fall off on their own in about 5 to 10 days.
  • If dressing sticks, do not tear it off, tearing off may cause bleeding and delay healing. Moisten the dressing with warm Sodium Chloride 0.9% solution wait 1 – 2 minutes until it comes off easily.
  • Look at your old dressing after removing it.
  • If it has a foul or sweet smell, a yellow or greenish stain, call your health care provider.
• Step 8: Remove the disposable gloves and throw it inside the disposable plastic bag; throw them inside a wastebasket.
• Step 9: Wash hands again with soap and water and dry them with a clean and dry towel.

Incision carenote

Clean your incision only if your health care provider says you should.

• Step 1: Wash hands again with soap and water and dry them with a clean and dry towel.
• Step 2: Put on a new pair of disposable gloves.
• Step 3: Always use a clean cloth, warm water, and if your health care provider says you can use a mild antibacterial soap to gently remove dried material from the area around your incision, start with the areas nearest your incision wipe outwards or away from the incision. Use a different part of the cloth each time you wipe your skin, when the cloth is dirty, use a new clean cloth.
  • Do not scrub or remove any scabs, scabs protect your incision while it heals allow them to fall off on their own.
  • Unless your Doctor says you should, do not clean your incision with alcohol, Iodine or peroxide.
• Step 4: Let your incision air dry, as it dries check the incision for the following;
  • Broken sutures, incision edges separating, bleeding, redness, increase skin warmth, swelling, foul odor, white, yellow or green discharge.
• Step 5: Remove the disposable gloves and throw it inside the disposable plastic bag; throw them inside a waste basket.

Applying new dressing

• Step 1: Wash hands again with soap and water and dry them with a clean and dry towel.
• Step 2: Put on a new pair of disposable gloves.
• Step 3: Pick up a piece of gauze by one corner; do not touch the side that will be next to your incision, carefully cover the incision with the gauze pad. You may need more than one gauze pad if fluid is still coming out of the incision.
• Step 4: Hold the gauze pad in place with one hand and tape the gauze pad to your skin with the other hand, make sure you seal all the four edges of the dressing.
  • If your skin is red from the tape on your old dressing, put a new tape on a different part of your skin.
  • If your skin is swollen and has blisters contact your health care provider, you may be allergic to the tape and need a different kind.
• Step 5: Remove the disposable gloves and throw it inside the disposable plastic bag; throw them inside a waste basket.
• Step 6: Wash hands again with soap and water and dry them with a clean and dry towel.

We hope that the information in this “Preparation to your Surgery” guide has helped you prepare mentally and physically for your surgery.

Since each person’s needs are unique, please feel free to ask questions to any member of our healthcare team for any information that was not covered.

We wish you well in your recovery!

For any information, please contact our Hotlines:

1. Vinmec Times City International Hospital: (+84) 2439743556
2. Vinmec Central Park International Hospital: (+84) 2836221166 or (+84) 2836221188
3. Vinmec Da Nang International Hospital: (+84) 2363711111
4. Vinmec Nha Trang International Hospital: (+84) 2583900168
5. Vinmec Hai Phong International Hospital: (+84) 2257309888
6. Vinmec Ha Long International Hospital: (+84) 2033828188
7. Vinmec Phu Quoc International Hospital: (+84) 297398558

Read next chapters of A patient’s guide to surgery:

• [A patient’s guide to surgery] Chapter 1: Preparing for Surgery
• [A patient’s guide to surgery] Chapter 2: The Day of Surgery
• [A patient’s guide to surgery] Chapter 3: Postoperative Care