Post-Care
The care of your surgical site is important to the success of your recovery. There are several things that could happen following surgery.
- Bleeding: To reduce the possibility of bleeding,
- Limit activities for at least 24 hours.
- If surgery was on an arm or leg, keep it elevated.
- If surgery was on the face, head or neck,
- Avoid stooping or bending
- Avoid straining to have a bowel movement
III. sleep with your head and shoulders elevated on extra pillows
- Take no aspirin or aspirin‑containing products.
- Drink no alcoholic beverages.
Should bleeding occur, apply firm constant pressure on the bandage for 20 minutes. That usually will stop minor bleeding. If not, contact the doctor.
- Swelling: If your doctor instructs you to do so, apply an ice bag for 20 minutes each hour while awake.
- Pain: Pain, post‑operatively, is generally slight. Nearly always, Extra‑Strength Tylenol will relieve it.
- Infection: Signs of infection are increased pain, swelling, redness or yellowish drainage. Notify the doctor if these appear.