|
Dear Patient
This information relates to the surgery for which you are scheduled with the purpose of decreasing the stress of what may be a first time experience.
Following your operation and recovery from anaesthesia, you will return to the day ward where you will be monitored and cared for until you are ready to be taken home by a relative or a friend. Your doctor will discuss his findings at operation with you before leave the ward and you will be given medication for pain and any other medication relating to your personal post operative needs.
The following morning you will receive a telephone call from a member of our staff. Problems can be discussed and any questions you have can be dealt with at that time.
Hysteroscopy
This procedure may be done as a diagnostic and/or a therapeutic procedure. The former is a simple procedure performed under anaesthesia after which there may be some slight bleeding. Following your recovery in the ward, you may arrange for someone to drive you home. You should be able to return to work the following day.
A therapeutic hysteroscopy involves work done inside the womb and medication may be prescribed to promote healing. This medication together with an instruction sheet asking you to start taking the medication the next day will be given to you before you leave. It is very important that you complete the course in spite of any bleeding which may occur.
There may be some vaginal bleeding immediately post operatively or there may be delayed bleeding which occurs some 7-10 days later. This bleeding is part of the healing process and should not be cause for concern IT IS NOT A PERIOD.
Your period will start a few days following your last Provera tablet.
Laparoscopy- what you may experience after this procedure.
Some pain and discomfort could be experienced initially though pain relief prescribed for you should keep this under control. You may experience one or all of the following:
Shoulder tip pain
This is a phenomena known as referred pain and in this instance relayed to the shoulder by the diaphragm. It is caused by a combination of the position you are in during the procedure and fluid. Both are necessary to maintain the safety of your internal organs during the procedure. The duration of this discomfort may be between 24 and 48 hours and is usually controlled by simple analgesia. Some women find relief when lying flat, others/, sitting up.
Nausea and /or vomiting
This can sometimes follow anaesthesia but is usually controlled and settled before leaving the hospital. Should there be a problem later, a Valoid suppository, available over the counter from your local pharmacy and inserted into the rectum should resolve this. In the case of nausea, we would advise something light to eat such as dry toast or Provita to settle a stomach which has been empty for more than twelve hours.
Difficulty in passing urine
May be experienced following surgery and must be dealt with before you are discharged from the ward. However, should you experience difficulty later in the evening at home, run a hot bath and sit in the water. This often allows the pelvic floor muscles to relax until you are able to pass urine into the water.
Occasionally this difficulty may require an overnight stay for which you would be transferred to a more comfortable ward for the appropriate assistance or instruction of your doctor.
With regard to your wound dressings, these are waterproof. You may shower or bath with no problem. Should they become uncomfortable you may remove them. Simply keep the areas clean and dry, no creams, ointments, oils or powders.
Your abdomen may appear swollen or bloated following surgery and may take a few days before it returns to normal, this is expected and is nothing to be concerned about. Sterile fluid is placed in the pelvic cavity after surgery to promote healing by leaving it in its usual moist environment. This fluid is gradually absorbed by the body and excreted via the kidneys.
Sutures
These will be removed on the 3rd - 4th day following your operation in our rooms between the hours of 9h30 and 11h00. If you do not live locally you may arrange for your GP to remove them.
If operation is on a Tuesday – remove sutures on Friday
If operation is on Thursday – remove on Monday
Post operative appointments
Please be aware that your visits to our rooms for removal of your sutures does NOT USUALLY include a doctors consultation. After your sutures have been removed a member of staff will discuss your post operative plan. You may schedule your next appointment to see your doctor within 2 to 3 weeks time. This allows time for healing to take place before moving to any active programme.
For AFTER HOURS EMERGENCIES relating to your surgery:
Either Dr’s Jacobson, Gobetz or Volschenk will available for EMERGENCIES and may be contacted on Pager 321 -0111. Ask for - Code Vitalab
|
