Surgical operations, also called surgery, are medical treatment methods that numb the human body with the help of anesthetic agents, are sensitive and can contain risks at various rates. However, in many types of diseases, it is necessary to apply surgical methods for the recovery of patients. After the surgery, it is aimed that the patients will regain their health as soon as possible with careful and meticulous care.
Surgery and After
Due to the lifestyle brought by the modern age, an increase in the incidence of many types of diseases has been observed in recent years. Industrialization, concretization and gradual alienation from nature are just a few of the reasons that predispose individuals to diseases. Consumed ready-to-eat foods adversely affect human metabolism and a sedentary lifestyle strengthens this effect. As a result, health problems arise that cannot be solved by drugs and natural methods. Surgical interventions may be required to correct these problems.
If the necessary care is not done sensitively, there is a possibility of serious problems such as infection and injury in the postoperative period. Since these complications can endanger human health, due care should be taken in post-operative care.
How to Plan Postoperative Care?
Post-operative care is defined as the care that the patient should receive after surgical interventions. The care procedures that should be applied to the patient after the surgery vary according to the type and severity of the surgery that the patient has undergone, and the patient's medical history.
Post-operative care generally focuses on pain management and wound care and starts right after the surgery. The process continues throughout the patient's stay in the hospital and after discharge. As a part of post-op care, the physicians performing the surgery inform the patient about how the care should continue and possible side effects and complications that may occur.
Which Questions Should Be Asked to the Physician Before Surgery?
It is faster for the patient to first ask the questions that come to their minds when possible, to get the necessary information about these issues and to follow these instructions. will heal. It is also known that many hospitals give a written instruction list after surgery. The most frequently asked questions are:
- How long do you need to stay in hospital after surgery?
- Are there any supplies or medication needed after discharge?
- After discharge Is there a need for a caregiver or physiotherapist afterward?
- What are the possible side effects of the surgery?
- What are the complications that may occur after the surgery?
- What should be done to accelerate the recovery period and what should be avoided? ?
- When can we return to normal activities and life routine?
How is Postoperative Care Performed in the Hospital? What Does It Cover?
After the surgery, the patient is first taken to an intensive care unit. During recovery from anesthesia, the patient is kept under observation in this way until his condition is stable. Then the patient is taken to a special room according to his condition. These rooms can be single occupancy, or they can be rooms with several people. The patient may feel strange when waking up from anesthesia, but this is normal. Some patients may even experience nausea.
After the operation, while the patient is in his room, the relevant health personnel checks the patient's blood pressure, temperature, pulse and breathing. Necessary controls are made in order to learn whether the lung functions are normal or not. In addition, attention is paid to the presence of an allergic reaction. This is because most surgeries are performed under general anesthesia. General anesthesia causes allergic reactions in some patients.
All controls of patients who will be discharged on the same day are followed up until they leave the hospital. If a problem has not been encountered and the patient's condition If u is in its normal course, the patient is discharged. Due to anesthesia, patients are not allowed to drive. It is healthier for the relatives of the patient to discharge the patient and take the patient home. It is a precaution taken to ensure that the condition of these patients is not endangered again, so that they can be kept under home observation. In addition to the general health status of the patient, depending on the size of the surgery, the dressing of the wound site, the care and follow-up of the drains, where the wound is bleeding and/or the accumulated intra-abdominal fluids are discharged, are performed. It is ensured that the incision site (wound) is healed under sterile conditions.
In the post-surgery period, patients are asked to stand up as soon as they recover from the effects of general anesthesia agents and to walk, starting with a short distance. The reason for this is that bowel movements have come to a standstill in both anesthesia and abdominal procedures, especially in intra-abdominal surgeries. It is necessary to walk in order for the intestines to regain their old rhythm and to prevent constipation after the surgery. However, this is wrong. The digestive system's own secretions are also excreted in the stool, and the first gas-stool discharge means the discharge of accumulated secretions. Edema (tissue swelling due to the escape of fluid out of the vein) in the moving body is eliminated more quickly. For this reason, it is important to carry out the patients as soon as possible after the surgery.
How Should Postoperative Nutrition Be at the Hospital?
Immediately after the surgery, the patient needs daily fluid, electrolyte (sodium, salt) and sugar needs intravenously. continues to take as serum. The general condition of the patient is followed up with pulse, blood pressure, fever, and urine output. If these parameters are suitable and patients can be fed orally (if they can take their antibiotics orally), the vascular access is closed.
The medical nutrition of the patients is gradually opened. Nothing is given orally, including liquid, for 4 hours after the surgery. After the patient has completely recovered from anesthesia, clear liquid foods without grains such as water, compote juice (regime I); after tolerating liquid soft foods (regime II) and regime II normal nutrition (regime III) is started.
After discharge, the patient must follow all the instructions of the physician. It is important to use the drugs as prescribed, pay attention to possible complications, and go to regular checkups. If the patient needs rest, care should be taken when returning to normal life. In addition, if some movement suggestions are given after the surgery, it should be strictly followed. Thus, it will be possible to return to normal activities as soon as possible. It is necessary for health to return to normal activities gradually after most surgeries.
After heavy surgeries, it becomes difficult for the patient to take care of himself. Surgical wounds should be taken care of and body cleaning should be done. In such cases, the help of family members is very important. If there is no family member to care for the patient, a caregiver may be required. In the absence of an assistant for the necessary care, infection around the wound or the emergence of other complications may be inevitable. This will delay the recovery of the patient and even endanger his health. The physician should be consulted because bleeding around the surgically treated wound, increased pain in the body or increased fever of the patient are conditions that require urgent intervention and endanger the patient's life. diet is recommended. Drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding alcohol and smoking are among the recommendations as they will increase the body's resistance.
What are the Problems (Complications) Encountered After the Surgery?
Failure to perform post-operative care in accordance with the physician's instructions may result in different problems. causes it to occur. There are a number of complications that may arise depending on the type of surgery the patient has undergone.
After many surgeries, problems such as infection, bleeding at the surgical site and blood clotting due to immobility may occur. from prolonged inactivity Therefore, the patient is at risk of losing some of his muscle strength. In addition, it is one of the situations where these muscle strength losses lead to respiratory complications. The physician performing the surgery gives all the instructions to the patient and his relatives in order to avoid all these complications. However, failure to perform post-operative care in accordance with the instructions causes the patient's health to deteriorate. After most surgeries, some antibiotics should be used to prevent infection in the wound area. In addition, additional medications may be given by the physician. Taking these drugs regularly will prevent complications that may occur. Post-operative care in accordance with the instructions given by the physician will ensure that the patient regains his/her health more quickly.
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