Patient Care Plan


Ongoing Care

  • After your procedure, regular post-procedure follow-up visits are important to ensure your complete recovery and a successful outcome.
  • Your hospital discharge instructions will have the periodical follow-up visits listed. Prof Samra asks to see you six weeks from date of discharge from the hospital.
  • You may be required to have regular follow up visits – six weeks, three months, six months, nine months and then annually to assess your recovery and progress.
  • Other appointments may be arranged if any post-operative problems arise.


Home recovery

  • Remember to arrange for someone to take you home, as driving may not be recommended for several weeks following surgery
  • After the surgery, pain medications and antibiotics are prescribed to control pain and prevent infection. Take your pain medicine as directed. Begin the pain medicine as you start getting uncomfortable, but before you are in severe pain. If you wait to take your pain medication until the pain is severe, you will have more difficulty controlling the pain.

 

Prof Samra and hospital staff will also give you some self-care instructions for you to follow at home that are crucial to your recovery. These are a list of "dos and don'ts," which you will be asked to follow for the first 6 to 8 weeks of your home recovery. These may include the following:

  • Get plenty of rest.
  • Abstain from smoking as nicotine slows recovery.
  • Good nutrition is essential for a successful recovery. Eat a healthy diet, high in protein and rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and drink plenty of fluids. Avoid heavy, fattening foods and foods that are high in calories.
  • Short walks for the first few weeks after surgery are encouraged. Walking is a low impact exercise that builds strength and maintains muscle tone. The distance you walk can be gradually increased. Deep-breathing exercises are also helpful.
  • Avoid carrying or lifting anything heavier than 5kgs.
  • Avoid bending at the waist. Rather, bend at your knees to pick up things. Also, avoid twisting the back.
  • Check with Prof Samra or his team when you are allowed to return to driving.
  • Avoid any strenuous activities. Even avoid vacuuming and more strenuous household cleaning. Do not go swimming, golfing, running or participate in any other sports activity until your you have received advice from Prof Samra or your GP.
  • Most dressings are waterproof and showers can commence after surgery. Observe dressings regularly to ensure they are watertight. Please ensure to dry thoroughly as any wet wounds can cause bacteria and infection.


Wound care

When you will be discharged, you will still have a surgical dressing on your incision(s).

Dressings are usually left intact until the first postoperative visit. If there are issues with the dressings these may require earlier review with the surgeon or GP.

If any of the following signs of infection are observed, you should call your doctor immediately. These signs include:

  • Fever higher than 38 degrees
  • Increase in redness or swelling around the incision(s)
  • Extra fluid drainage from the incision(s)
  • An opening of the incision has open areas along its length
  • Experiencing chills, nausea/vomiting
  • Suffering any type of trauma such as a fall or a car accident
  • Difficulty in urinating or controlling your bowel movements


 And in such a situation you should contact Prof Samra’s practice immediately and contact 000 if you are in need of urgent medical attention.


Rehabilitation Program

The rehabilitation program are for patients who have had major procedures, such as the whipples procedure this includes physical therapy, which is started soon after the surgery and is very important to strengthen and provide mobility.

You may be able to perform gentle daily activities 8 weeks after surgery.

Prof Samra’s support team including physiotherapist will prepare an exercise program. Much of the exercise program can be done at home or at a gym, under your physiotherapist’s guidance.

 

Return to Work

You may return to light work duties after 6 weeks from the date of your discharge from hospital. You will not be fit to perform work duties that involve:

  • Prolonged standing,
  • Heavy lifting,
  • Bending or
  • Excessive stair climbing for a minimum of 6 weeks.

 

Prof Samra asks that all patients to contact The Practice to organise their post operative appointment 6 weeks from date of discharge from hospital. Prof Samra will do an examination of the wound site and ask how you have been travelling. Based on this post operative consultation Prof Samra can provide advice whether you can return to work to perform work duties and whether you can return to the gym.

Share by: