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Post-Operative Guidelines for Anti-Reflux Surgery
Activity: In most cases, common sense applies to daily activities. Please stay active but avoid straining yourself. It takes up to 4-6 weeks for the healing process to be complete. Daily walks and light aerobic exercises are encouraged. Remember, at the time of discharge you may be “sore” but you are not “sick”. It is OK to ride in a car, walk up stairs and go outside. In fact we encourage it. The faster people return to being active the less complications they have after surgery.
Return to Work: There is no mandatory length of time that one must stay out of work after surgery. Persons who have more physically demanding jobs should give them selves more time to heal prior to returning to work, (usually 10-14 days). Patients with more sedentary or light-duty type of work can return to work prior to their first post-operative evaluation if they desire. We are happy to sign “work-excuse” notices for patients at the first post-operative appointment.
Pain Control: Internally you have had a very complex surgery. Some pain in the mid chest, back, shoulders, throat and abdomen is not unusual. The pain should steadily improve. Most of the pain is from swelling and bruising. . We encourage patients to take 1-2 of pain medications every 8 hrs with some food during the first 5 days after surgery.
Bowel Function: The general anesthetic you received to do your surgery, pain medications, and bowel manipulation during surgery can result in sluggish bowel activity after surgery. There is nothing about your surgery that prevents you from taking standard over-the-counter remedies for constipation after surgery. Time and lots of fluid tend to help as well. It is not unusual for some patients to feel bloated or distended in the first few weeks after surgery. People with a history of chronic GERD or Reflux have a habit of unconsciously swallowing a lot of air and belching during the day. After surgery, they continue to swallow air out of habit. Since burping is very difficult they often get distended until the air is passed as gas. This is not a permanent problem. Time and over-the-counter anti-gas pills help.
Diet: While in the hospital your diet will be slowly advanced from liquids to soft foods. After leaving the hospital we want you to continue on soft diet. You should avoid eating hard food in the first 3-6 weeks after surgery. It is also very important to avoid carbonated beverages and straws early in your recovery. Remember to try new foods carefully. Eat small bites and have some fluid handy to wash it down with. It is not unusual to feel full faster than you did before surgery. Listen to your body. Eat slowly and you will be much more comfortable. Your progress will be evaluated in the post-operative office visits. If you are vomiting or unable to keep a liquid diet down please call our office immediately.
Wound Care: In most cases you will have 5 small incisions. You may remove the Band-Aids and shower on the day of discharge. Leave the white ‘steri-strips’ on the skin for the first week to improve the cosmetic result. There is no need to cover the incisions or put antibiotic lotions on them. It is not unusual for the area around each incision to feel bruised. However if the incisions get red or begin to drain fluid more than 2 days after surgery please call us.
Post Operative Care and Questions: Please call our office for any concerns and for your post-operative appointment 10 to 14 days after surgery.
Click Here To Download Post Anti-reflux Surgery Dietary Regimen
Activity: In most cases, common sense applies to daily activities. Please stay active but avoid straining yourself. It takes up to 4-6 weeks for the healing process to be complete. Daily walks and light aerobic exercises are encouraged. Remember, at the time of discharge you may be “sore” but you are not “sick”. It is OK to ride in a car, walk up stairs and go outside. In fact we encourage it. The faster people return to being active the less complications they have after surgery.
Return to Work: There is no mandatory length of time that one must stay out of work after surgery. Persons who have more physically demanding jobs should give them selves more time to heal prior to returning to work, (usually 10-14 days). Patients with more sedentary or light-duty type of work can return to work prior to their first post-operative evaluation if they desire. We are happy to sign “work-excuse” notices for patients at the first post-operative appointment.
Pain Control: Internally you have had a very complex surgery. Some pain in the mid chest, back, shoulders, throat and abdomen is not unusual. The pain should steadily improve. Most of the pain is from swelling and bruising. . We encourage patients to take 1-2 of pain medications every 8 hrs with some food during the first 5 days after surgery.
Bowel Function: The general anesthetic you received to do your surgery, pain medications, and bowel manipulation during surgery can result in sluggish bowel activity after surgery. There is nothing about your surgery that prevents you from taking standard over-the-counter remedies for constipation after surgery. Time and lots of fluid tend to help as well. It is not unusual for some patients to feel bloated or distended in the first few weeks after surgery. People with a history of chronic GERD or Reflux have a habit of unconsciously swallowing a lot of air and belching during the day. After surgery, they continue to swallow air out of habit. Since burping is very difficult they often get distended until the air is passed as gas. This is not a permanent problem. Time and over-the-counter anti-gas pills help.
Diet: While in the hospital your diet will be slowly advanced from liquids to soft foods. After leaving the hospital we want you to continue on soft diet. You should avoid eating hard food in the first 3-6 weeks after surgery. It is also very important to avoid carbonated beverages and straws early in your recovery. Remember to try new foods carefully. Eat small bites and have some fluid handy to wash it down with. It is not unusual to feel full faster than you did before surgery. Listen to your body. Eat slowly and you will be much more comfortable. Your progress will be evaluated in the post-operative office visits. If you are vomiting or unable to keep a liquid diet down please call our office immediately.
Wound Care: In most cases you will have 5 small incisions. You may remove the Band-Aids and shower on the day of discharge. Leave the white ‘steri-strips’ on the skin for the first week to improve the cosmetic result. There is no need to cover the incisions or put antibiotic lotions on them. It is not unusual for the area around each incision to feel bruised. However if the incisions get red or begin to drain fluid more than 2 days after surgery please call us.
Post Operative Care and Questions: Please call our office for any concerns and for your post-operative appointment 10 to 14 days after surgery.
Click Here To Download Post Anti-reflux Surgery Dietary Regimen
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