Rejuvenate, Refresh, Repair

Post Operative Surgery Instructions

You will need the following

• Tap Water
• Telfa Dressing and Surgical Tape or Band-Aids
• Q-Tips
• Polysporin ointment

Wound Care

• Clean wound daily beginning 48 hours after surgery.
• Clean wound with Q-Tips soaked in tap water. Do not reuse Q-Tips. Remove all crusted or whitish yellow material that can come off easily.
• After cleaning, generously apply Polysporin with a clean Q-Tip.
• Cover your wound with the following dressing: Telfa with tape or Band-Aids
• Continue wound care until stitches are removed or as your doctor directs. If the surgical site is swollen, you may elevate the site and apply an ice pack as long as the bandage stays dry.

Personal Hygiene

• In the first 48 hours, showers or baths are allowed if the bandage remains dry. After 48 hours, the sutures may then get wet but do not immerse in bath water. Swimming is not allowed until the sutures are removed. Heavy lifting and exercise are not allowed until the sutures are removed.

Prescriptions

• Unless the doctor states otherwise, take Extra Strength Tylenol for pain as needed. Alcohol should be avoided for two days.

Contact Doctor if the following occurs

• Bleeding which saturates your dressing (spotting of dressing is expected). To stop bleeding, hold direct pressure over the dressing for 20 minutes and do not remove the dressing.
• Fever greater than 100 degrees F or 38 C.
• Signs of infection, i.e., redness, swelling, foul-smelling drainage, pain or heat.
• Severe nausea and vomiting.

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