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    SURGICAL PROCEDURES

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    INSTRUCTIONS

    For patients having gynaecology surgery at BC Women's Hospital

    Click here to go directly to the BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre website

    Here you will find the following information:-

    Click here to download the new restrictive hospital entry wayfinding  map effective August 21, 2020

    INFORMATION

    Information you may find helpful after surgery

    Please call me if you have any of the following:

    • Heavy vaginal bleeding, in which you are soaking a pad every 15 minutes for 2 hours or more
    • Severe abdominal or pelvic pain not responding to pain medication
    • Inability to empty your bladder
    • A very distended and painful belly
    • Fever: temperature greater than 38.5 degrees C
    • Painful swollen leg
    • Shortness of breath
    • Offensive vaginal discharge
    • Nausea and vomiting lasting more than 24 hours

    LAPAROSCOPY

    This surgical procedure is often used to identify and diagnose the source of pelvic or abdominal pain. The purpose is to view or perform minor surgery in the abdominal or pelvic cavities.

    • After the surgery you will feel bloated and distended for a few days. This can be very uncomfortable at first but will get better by itself in time. You may also have some shoulder pain. This is caused by some of the gas that is left behind after the surgery lying under your diaphragm and causing a referred pain in your shoulder. This will also disappear in a day or so.
    • You may also have some pain and cramping especially if you had a cyst removed.
    • For pain control you will be given a prescription for pain medication and told how to take it. I suggest you start with a combination of Tylenol extra strength together with an anti-inflammatory such as Advil or Motrin. Take one or two of each depending on the intensity of your pain. If this does not control your pain you may need to use some of the prescription pain medication as directed.
    • Eat and drink according to your appetite. It is common to feel nauseated for a short while after the surgery.
    • Do not use alcohol until you are feeling well and not taking pain medication
    • Light activity is encouraged after the surgery but avoid strenuous physical activity until your pain has resolved. You can walk upstairs and you can lift objects lighter than 20 pounds. It will probably be 2 to 4 weeks before you are feeling well enough to get back to the gym.
    • The incisions are small and in most cases do not need to be sutured closed.
    • If there is a stitch in the incision, the stitch will dissolve by itself.
    • To help the incision heal faster, rub some Polysporin cream over it 2 to 3 times a day.
    • You can shower and get the incision wet. If you have some band-aids or steri-strips over the incision, you can remove these in a couple of days.
    • Do not worry if they fall off by themselves.
    • You can bathe a week after the surgery.

    Please call me if you have any of the following:

    • Heavy vaginal bleeding, in which you are soaking a pad every 15 minutes for 2 hours or more
    • Severe abdominal or pelvic pain not responding to pain medication
    • Inability to empty your bladder
    • A very distended and painful belly
    • Fever: temperature greater than 38.5 C
    • Painful swollen leg
    • Shortness of breath
    • Offensive vaginal discharge
    • Nausea and vomiting lasting more than 24 hours

    LAPAROTOMY

    This surgical procedure is performed to make an incision in the abdominal wall to gain access into the abdominal cavity. The purpose is either as exploratory surgery, or as the first step in an abdominal operation.

    • This is major surgery and you can expect to be sore for a while.
    • You would have been in hospital for a few days on fairly strong pain medication.
    • You also would have had a catheter and an IV in place. These are usually removed before going home. In some cases, you may be sent home with the catheter still in your bladder, but this is rare and you will be told how to care for it.
    • By the time you are ready to go home you should be able to walk around unaided but you will be sore.
    • It may also burn when you urinate. This is from the catheter. The site of the IV may also be sore and swollen.
    • The pain medication from the surgery usually makes you constipated, so it is common for you not to have a bowel movement for a few days following your surgery.
    • If you have had a “bikini” incision, you cannot break the wound open. It will hurt when you cough, sneeze or laugh, but you will not damage the wound.
    • When you get home you can do any activity that is not painful.
    • You can climb stairs and lift light objects as long as you do not have to strain to lift or carry them.
    • The rule of thumb is that you can do anything as long as it is not painful.
    • It is not recommended that you drive for 2 weeks after your surgery.
    • The wound itself needs very little care.
    • You can have a shower and get it wet. Dry it gently after the shower and apply some Polysporin cream over the incision.
    • If you have had a midline cut, this incision is more delicate and can be damaged if you are not careful. You may still have staples holding the skin together when you go home.
    • You will be told when to come to the office to have the staples taken out.
    • Heavy lifting or straining can cause the wound to break open so I suggest that you take it easy when you are at home. Stairs are fine as long as you go up slowly.
    • You can get the incision wet. Gently dab it dry with a towel.
    • When sitting or bending forward it is very common for the wound to open up a little at the bottom of the cut just above the pubic bone. This is very difficult to prevent and if it does happen as small separation is nothing to worry about.
    • Apply Polysporin cream over the incision twice a day.
    • Protect the wound with your hand when you feel you have to cough, laugh or strain.

    Please call me if you have any of the following;

    • The incision is getting red, tender and more painful.
    • Pus, blood or a lot of fluid coming out of the wound.
    • The wound is starting to open up.
    • You have fever (greater than 38.5 Degree C) or chills, or you feel like you are getting the flu.
    • You have heavy vaginal bleeding in which you are soaking a pad every 15 minutes for 2 hours or more.
    • You have severe abdominal or pelvic pain that doesn’t respond to pain medication.
    • You are unable to empty your bladder.
    • Your belly is getting very distended and painful.
    • Your leg is painful and swollen.
    • You are short of breath.
    • You have an offensive vaginal discharge.
    • You have nausea and vomiting lasting more than 24 hours.