Surely every person at least once faced some kind of illness. If some diseases proceed quite easily and end quickly, others may require surgical intervention. This article will introduce you to the medical term called "postoperative control". You will learn what is the peculiarity of patient care at this time. It is also worth mentioning what the postoperative period is in general terms.
Post-operative period
This time starts from the moment the patient is removed from the surgical table. In this case, the analgesic effect (narcosis) may still continue. The postoperative period ends when the patient ceases to feel any discomfort from the manipulation and returns to the usual rhythm of life.
Most of the postoperative period takes place within the walls of the hospital. Exactlyhere the patient is monitored (postoperative control). In some cases, the patient may leave the walls of the hospital immediately after he comes to his senses. At the same time, the person is assigned the appropriate postoperative treatment and the necessary recommendations are given.
Depending on the complexity of the surgical intervention, the postoperative recovery time can last from several days to six months. In this case, the patient's age, physical fitness, body weight and other factors play an important role.
How is the postoperative period?
If the patient is in the walls of the hospital, then orderlies, nurses and doctors take care of him. When a person is allowed to go home, recommendations for care are given to the person accompanying him. Postoperative control has several main criteria. Consider them in more detail.
Bed rest
A prerequisite for recovery after surgery is complete rest. Depending on how severe the operation was, the restriction of mobility can be set for several hours or days.
When performing gynecological operations (curettage of the uterine cavity, laparoscopy, and so on), the patient's mobility is limited for several hours. So, the patient can get up as soon as the anesthesia wears off.
If the operation was performed on vessels, veins and arteries, then the restriction of mobility depends on the area of the damaged skin (postoperativeseam).
During operations on vital organs (liver, kidney, stomach, and so on), the patient is prescribed bed rest for several days.
If the surgical intervention was performed on the heart area, then the patient can be at rest for exactly as long as the doctor says. In some cases, a very long stay in a horizontal position is required. Similar recommendations are given after spinal surgery.
Following a special diet
A postoperative diet is prescribed in almost all cases. The patient is not allowed to eat immediately after he comes to his senses. Despite the frequent feeling of hunger? on the first day after the intervention, the patient is only allowed to drink water. All this is explained by the fact that after anesthesia, there may be a feeling of severe nausea and vomiting.
Postoperative diet in the following days is recommended only for those who have undergone surgery on the digestive organs and abdominal cavity. Thus, during gynecological operations, it is necessary to wait for the restoration of the stool before transferring the patient to a common table. If the operation was performed on the stomach, intestines and gallbladder, then the diet can be recommended for life.
Treatment after surgery
Post-operative care is about timely treatment. So, after each surgical intervention, the patient is prescribed an antibacterial course. Even if there are no difficulties, andthere is no inflammatory process, then these drugs are taken so that postoperative complications do not appear.
In addition to antibiotics, a person may be given medications aimed at correcting the operated organ. So, in the case of gynecological interventions, hormonal preparations are prescribed. During surgery on vessels and veins, venotonics and means for the prevention of thrombosis are prescribed. During surgical treatment of the digestive organs, medications may be prescribed to improve the digestion of food and facilitate its absorption.
Monitoring the patient's condition
Post-operative control also consists in observing the patient's condition. To do this, tests (blood and urine tests) are regularly prescribed to detect an inflammatory process.
Also, depending on the area on which the operation was performed, a manual examination or ultrasound may be required. In more rare cases, an x-ray or magnetic resonance imaging is prescribed.
If postoperative complications are detected during the examination, the recovery period may be significantly delayed.
Completion of the postoperative period
Post-operative control ends when the patient's stitches are removed. From now on, human he alth depends on compliance with the recommendations. Despite this, the patient should visit the doctor regularly for examination and control.
Summing up
Now you know what postoperative care is and what are the features of this period. If you are going to have a planned surgical intervention, then you should find out in advance what recommendations will be given after the manipulation and prepare for them. Always follow the doctor's orders, listen to everything the specialist says. Only in this case, the postoperative period will pass as quickly as possible, easily and without complications. Good he alth and speedy recovery!
