After Your Surgery

After any surgery, you need some time to recover. Your recovery journey depends on your health and your surgery, of course. But let's learn about some of the things you can expect.

Recovery room

First, we watch you closely after your surgery. We take you to a recovery room where we can monitor your heart rate, breathing and temperature. If you were put to sleep, you need time to wake up. While you do, we check your IV lines and make sure you aren't in pain. We ask you questions. We may ask you to pee.

A longer stay

We may need to keep you in the hospital while you recover. If so, you're taken to a room where you will be comfortable. Lying in bed for long periods can cause problems like fluid in your lungs, bed sores and blood clots. So we ask you to do things to prevent these.

Keeping lungs clear

To keep your lungs clear, we may ask you to take deep breaths. We may want you to inhale deeply through a device called a "spirometer." And we may ask you to cough regularly.

Bed sores and poor circulation

To prevent bed sores and poor circulation, we move your body and bed into different positions. You may wear compression stockings. We may have you do leg exercises and foot exercises. And we may have you get up and walk around.

Conclusion

Our goal is to make sure your recovery is a good one. We don't send you home until we're sure it's safe. For more info, talk to your care team.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.