Congratulations! You have been discharged from the hospital. Maybe it was outpatient day surgery or maybe you have spent an extended time in the hospital.
You might be asking:
What should I look for?
When should I call my surgeon?
Most surgical procedures are uncomplicated and recovery is uneventful. However, you should be aware of potential problems after surgery and when to call your surgeon. The most common issue is an infection of the incision. Depending on the type of surgical procedure, other problems may occur.
What are signs of infection?
- Increased pain at incision
- Redness or drainage at incision
- Swelling at incision
- Opening of incision
- Fever over 101.5°
- Chills
Make sure you review your discharge paperwork. It will include procedure specific instructions, contact information, and medications.
While your symptoms or concerns may represent nothing serious, it is important to err on the side of safety and get checked out. Your safety and vigilance can make it much easier to detect a problem before it becomes serious.