Postoperative Instructions - Anorectal

Diet

• Eat lightly the night after your surgery, avoiding heavy, greasy, spicy foods.
• Resume regular diet as tolerated with plenty of fruits and vegetables the morning after surgery.
• Take a fiber supplement 2-3 times per day. Reduce dosage if you have more than 2 bowel movements per day.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• No alcohol, including beer/wine, for 24 hours and while taking narcotic pain medicine.

Activity

• Activity allowed guided by common sense and discomfort level. Walking and stairs are ok. Have someone with you until you feel secure.
• Take slow, deep breaths and cough to open lungs.
• Avoid lifting >15-20 lbs or strenuous activity until seen for your first postoperative visit.
• Do not drive while taking narcotics. Be sure you can twist/move comfortably before you drive.
• Rarely a patient can develop urinary retention after surgery. Try soaking in a hot sitz bath or standing in a hot shower. It this is not successful, contact your surgeon.
• Return to work when cleared by the surgeon. This is on an individual basis as determined by job duties.

Pain Control

• Purchase the following:
  • Tucks
  • Metamucil
  • Colace (stool softener)
  • Pain medicine
• A prescription for narcotic pain medicine will be given to you. Be judicious with its use, but do not wait until pain is unbearable before taking it. Narcotics are not completely effective so do not think that more is better.
• For milder pain, acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be used instead of the narcotic pain medicine. Some narcotic medicines, such as hydrocodone/APAP, already have Tylenol added to them.
• Avoid ibuprofen (Motrin) as this can make bleeding worse, unless your surgeon approves it.
• Narcotic pain medicine can be constipating. If you miss a bowel movement, take 2 tablespoons of milk of magnesia at bedtime. In the morning, drink prune juice and coffee if still feeling constipated.
• Apply an ice pack to the incision area for 20 minutes at a time for the first 24-36 hours after surgery. Place a cloth between the skin and ice pack.

Wound Care

• You may shower the next morning after surgery.
• The incision is closed with sutures under the skin. These will dissolve and do not need to be removed.
• You may notice bruising /skin discoloration around the incision area. It is normal to have a lump along the incision area. This will slowly resolve on its own.
• Use non-alcohol-containing baby wipes to clean after bathroom use.
• Hot sitz bath, or tub soaks, about 4 times per day and after each bowel movement. There is no need to add epsom salt to the water.
• Some blood will be noticed with your bowel movements initially. This usually stops completely when the wounds are healed. If the bleeding is excessive and does not stop, apply pressure and call the surgeon.

Call the office to schedule a post-operative appointment for 3 weeks after surgery.

CALL OUR OFFICE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR SIGNS OF INFECTION 443-574-8500