para>This is a series of images showing how to care for your wound. They include washing your hands, having the doctor take out your stitches or staples, not removing the small pieces of tape over the wound, taking care of your dressing, and watching for signs of infection like pus or redness around the wound.View Original
This is a series of images showing how to care for your wound. They include washing your hands, having the doctor take out your stitches or staples, not removing the small pieces of tape over the wound, taking care of your dressing, and watching for signs of infection like pus or redness around the wound.
View 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. Talk to your doctor about:
- How to care for your ostomy if you have one. You will need to learn how to change the ostomy bag. This bag is most often short-term and collects your bowel contents. It gives your bowel a chance to rest.
- How to care for your cut sites. Be sure to wash your hands before touching your wound or dressings.
- If you need to change your eating habits.
- If you take drugs that are time-released or time-sustained. Your doctor will need to switch these drugs to a different form (immediate-release drugs) while you are recovering from surgery.
- When you may bathe or shower.
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work, driving, or sex.
- Get a lot of rest.
- Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day.
- Do not take laxatives. Ask your doctor before taking any drugs.
- If your rectum is cut, sitting on a pillow after the surgery may make you feel more comfortable. Your doctor may have you take a bath called a sitz bath to help heal the rectum cut site and to keep the area clean. Sit in 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) of warm water in the tub for 10 to 15 minutes each time. Do this 3 to 4 times a day. Carefully wipe your bottom afterwards.
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.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain
- Treat an upset stomach
- Prevent infection
Will physical activity be limited?
- You may have to limit your activity. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you.
- It is important to get up and move around, even just walking around in your home. Walk every hour while you are awake during the day. Moving around helps healing and lessens problems after surgery.
- Having a colostomy bag can change many things in your life. Talk to your doctor about how this may affect your activities, drugs you take, and the food you eat.
What changes to diet are needed?
You will start with a clear liquid diet. You will slowly move to a diet low in fiber. It may take about 3 to 4 weeks before you can go back to your normal diet. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Bleeding inside your belly
- Infection
- Damage to nearby organs
- The ends of the bowel that are sewn together come open
- Scar tissue causes blockage of the bowel
- Skin irritation
- Ostomy suddenly stops working or becomes blocked
- Ostomy bag does not stick well to your skin
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, and 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.
- Shortness of breath or chest pain
- Very bad belly pain or swelling
- Upset stomach and throwing up that is not helped by the drugs you are taking
- Very hard or loose stools
- Bowel movements suddenly stop
- Black, tarry, or bloody stools
- You have a stoma and see:
- A change in skin color of the stoma
- Rash or sores around the stoma
- Blood in stoma or coming from stoma
- More leaking than usual
- No stools in the pouch
Helpful tips
- Join support groups to get to know other people who have coped with the condition.
- Keep an extra change of clothes with you in case your colostomy leaks.
- If you are going to travel, bring extra supplies to avoid problems.
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 and ostomy, if I have them.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have a fever, chills, loose stools, or blood in my stool.
Where can I learn more?
American Cancer Society ‚
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/colonandrectumcancer/detailedguide/colorectal-cancer-treating-surgery ‚
Society of the American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons ‚
http://www.sages.org/publications/patient-information/patient-information-for-laparoscopic-colon-resection-from-sages/ ‚
Last Reviewed Date
2015-09-10 ‚
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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 provider 's advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved. ‚