Abdominal Surgery: Three Essential Tips for Accelerated Recovery
Open abdominal surgery is critical for the healing and control of numerous medical conditions. This type of procedure is conducted to eliminate and manage physical problems such as obstructions, infections and tumours which can compromise the function and performance of abdominal organs. In general, open surgery involves the creation of an incision in the abdominal area. Therefore, complete recovery after the procedure can be challenging even when the operation is uncomplicated. If do not uphold the right practices, the wound might not recover as expected, or you might get an infection. Here are some essential tips to help you promote quicker and safer recovery.
Monitor the Condition of the Incision
You should not ignore the abdominal incision after the surgery and hope that the wound is healing. It is important to check the condition of the incision so that you will identify complications before escalation. If you fail to monitor the area, you might have an infection festering underneath. Typically, the incision will have some fluid draining as the site heals. This fluid should be yellowish or red-yellow. If the drainage becomes thick or gets a foul odour, you might have an infection. You should also consult your surgeon if you notice redness, or there is too much pain around your abdomen.
Protect the Incision from Harm
You should protect from external factors which could contribute to the infection or general harm of the surgical site. One of the simplest but often forgotten practices is cleaning the hands before inspecting the incision. Hands harbour numerous, harmful microorganisms which could cause infections. You should also resist the urge to disturb the healing wound unnecessarily, especially after scabs form. For example, some individuals will want to remove the scabs while others will want to clean the area with disinfectant. These actions can slow down recovery and should be avoided unless the doctor says otherwise. Additionally, you should opt for showers instead of baths. Soaking the wound in water will damage the healing the incision line.
Avoid Strenuous Physical Exercise
Finally, you should not be quick to resume your normal physical activities after the surgery. You should avoid strenuous exercise which targets the abdominal muscles in particular. If you strain your core muscles, the sutures could rupture and the healing incision line will open again. Moreover, you could experience a hernia because of the physical stress. Therefore, you should only take up light exercise such as walking during the recovery period. If you feel pressure in your abdomen while exercising, you should stop and rest.
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