, ease pain, and give a better look. Your ribs will make new bone and new ribs will form. Your new ribs will be as strong as your old ribs. This may take 2 to 6 months. ‚
View OriginalView Original
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Your doctor may suggest you wear a brace for a few months. This will help to protect your ribs from injury. It may lower your chance of having fluid build up in your chest cavity. The brace can also help with pain. Your doctor will help you find the right brace for you.
- Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages
- When you may take a bath or shower
- If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work, school, driving, or sex
- Be sure to wash your hands before touching your wound or dressing.
- Do not swim or soak in hot tubs for some period of time. Your doctor will tell you when you can do these.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
- Your doctor may send you to physical therapy to help you heal faster.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain
- Prevent an infection
Will physical activity be limited?
- You may have to limit your activity for a while. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you.
- Movements and exercises which use the upper part of your body should be avoided until you have healed. This may take months.
What problems could happen?
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Fluid or air collect in the lungs
- Collapsed lung
- Less lung function
- Puncture of the lining of the lung
- If scoliosis gets worse, rib hump could come back
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Very bad chest pain
- Heart palpitations
- Very bad dizziness or passing out
- Trouble breathing
- Swelling in your legs
- Low mood
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my procedure.
- I can tell you how to care for my cut site.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have sudden shortness of breath, very bad chest pain, or trouble breathing.
Where can I learn more?
National Scoliosis Foundation ‚
http://www.scoliosis.org/resources/medicalupdates/ribthoracoplasty.php ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚