Right after the procedure, we will transfer you to your room. You will have six small bandages over the skin incisions, a drain on one side of your abdomen attached to a vacuum container, and a urine catheter Foley to drain urine from your bladder attached to a urine bag.
An intravenous IV line will provide fluids. We will probably stop using the IV and drain the day after surgery. You will be allowed to have ice chips and sips of water. Once you are ready, you should sit up and walk a few steps. Early walking is the key for fast recovery and return to bowel activity. It also improves blood circulation in the legs and prevents clot formation. The next morning, we will give you a light breakfast and a liquid diet.
You cannot have solid food until you pass intestinal gas and have a bowel movement. Most people do not pass intestinal gas for several days and do not have a bowel movement for three to four days. The best way to a speedy recovery is to start walking the hallways on the day after surgery. We expect you to walk a total of one mile, or 25 laps around the hospital wing not necessarily all at once.
We will give you a breathing device called a spirometer to use once an hour. This will help expand your lungs and prevent infections. Every hour, you should take 10 consecutive deep breaths with it in your mouth. When you leave the hospital, you will still have the urinary catheter in place.
The catheter will remain for approximately six to nine days after the operation. We will attach the catheter to a leg bag that you can hide under your pants. At nighttime, we recommend that you switch to a regular urinary bag that you place on the side of the bed. This is a larger bag that will allow you to sleep the whole night without having to get up to use the toilet. You may experience some bladder pain or cramps spasms associated with the catheter, but most people tolerate it well.
