Yellowstone Surgery Center

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Preventing Complications

Information to Know and Understand Before You're Discharged.

  Same Day Procedures

Yellowstone Surgery Center provides outpatient services where you are not 'admitted' and you typically go home the same day that you visited the surgery center.

Diet & Medication Guidelines Procedure FAQs Anesthesia Information

Before Procedure
Before Procedure Checklist Prepare Your Home Checklist Improving Surgery Outcome
Day of Procedure
Day of Surgery Checklist Arrival and Check-In Operating Room Procedures Initial Recovery
Recovery
Prepping for Discharge Recognizing / Preventing Complications Expectations & Recovery Tips
Additional Patient Services

We want to help educate our patients so they feel more confident about their procedure, and what is to be expected after they leave our care.

Depending on your procedure, all or some of these items may be a potential risk. Please ask your nurse any questions you may have about the below topics before you go home.

Nausea

Do you have persistent nausea? Have you tried:

  • Taking pain pills with food?
  • Taking anti-nausea meds if prescribed?
  • Drinking enough fluids?
  • Increasing your food intake gradually?
  • Start with full liquids and advance as your stomach tolerates

Experiencing this?

Contact your physician's office

Infections

Recognizing the Signs of Infection

  • Increased swelling and redness at the incision site.
  • Change in color, amount, odor of drainage.
  • Increased pain in knee.
  • Fever greater than 101 degrees.

Signs of Urinary Infections

This information is only if you had a foley catheter inserted

  • Burning with urination.
  • Increased frequency of urination.
  • Fever greater than 101 degrees.

Preventing Infection

  • Take proper care of your incision, especially washing your hands before providing any care to your incision.
  • Follow physician's after-care instructions regarding dressing care.
  • Keeping your hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running water.
  • Hand Hygiene - Information from the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) "Stop Germs! Stay Healthy! Wash Your Hands"

Experiencing this?

Contact your physician's office

Medical Marijuana

Hand Hygiene

Stop Germs! Stay Healthy! Wash Your Hands. Information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

When?

  • Before, during, and after preparing & eating food
  • Before and after caring for someone who is sick
  • Before and after treating a cut or wound
  • After using the toilet or touching garbage
  • After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
  • After handling pet food or pet treats

How?

  • Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
  • Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  • Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the "Happy Birthday" song from beginning to end twice.
  • Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
  • Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

For more details on handwashing, visit www.cdc.gov/handwashing

Bleeding

Signs and symptoms of bleeding

  • Blood that saturates the bandage covering your incision
  • Swelling and/or bruising at the incision site
  • Late signs:
    • Anxiety or confusion
    • Faster heart rate than normal for you
    • Faster breathing than normal for you, or shortness of breath

Experiencing this?

Contact your physician's office

Constipation and Stool Softeners

  • Constipation is stools that are too dry or large to pass easily and is a common side effect from pain medications, anesthesia and lack of mobility.
  • As the body is likely to be more sensitive or prone to damage than usual, it is best to use gentle constipation relief, like stool softeners, after your procedure.
  • Continue to take stool softeners at home after your procedure until you have quit taking the prescription pain medication.

Please consider the following instructions:

  • Stool Softener / Laxative: It is recommended to take a stool softener twice a day while you are taking narcotics. Do not use laxatives regularly. They work on an occasional basis and do not correct what causes your constipation.
  • Physical Activity: Follow your physician or physical therapist's protocol or guidelines regarding physical activity.
  • Increase the fiber (roughage) in your diet:
    • Fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products.
    • Commercial vegetable fiber products (like Metamucil).
  • Drink extra liquids: Try to drink 8 large glasses of water or juice each day unless your doctor has restricted your fluids.

Contact your Physician if:

  • Constipation continues after eating more fiber and drinking more liquids
  • There is an increase in abdominal pain or bloating of the abdomen
  • Blood in your stool (bright red or black) becomes visible (not sure if this is the right wording)
  • Any new problems or concerns arise.

Blood Clots

  • Surgery may cause the blood to slow and coagulate in the veins of your legs, creating a blood clot.
  • This is why you take blood thinners after surgery.
  • If a clot occurs despite these measures, you may need to be admitted to the hospital for close monitoring.
  • Blood clots can form in either leg.

Recognizing the Signs of a Blood Clot (in legs)

  • Swelling in thigh, calf or ankle that does not go down with elevation.
  • Pain, heat and tenderness in calf, back of the knee or groin area.

Prevention of Blood Clots

  • Perform ankle pumps.
  • Walk several times a day.
  • Wear your TED hose (if ordered) / Compression Stockings
  • Take your blood thinners as directed.

Compression Stockings / TED Hose

Compression Stockings help improve your blood flow and can lessen pain and swelling in your legs. They can also lower your chances of getting deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a kind of blood clot, and other circulation problems.

Experiencing this?

Contact your physician's office promptly

Pulmonary Embolus

An unrecognized blood clot could break away from the vein and travel to the lungs.

  If you Suspect Pulmonary Embolus: Call 911 immediately or go to the Emergency Department!

Recognizing the Signs of Pulmonary Embolus

  • Sudden chest pain.
  • Difficult and/or rapid breathing.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Sweating
  • Confusion

Prevention of Pulmonary Embolus

  • Prevent blood clot in the legs.
  • Recognize if a blood clot forms in your leg and call your physician promptly.
Additional Patient Services

Complete Patient Procedure Guide

Select from the Following Items for Your Procedure Guide

Before Procedure

Suggestions and Recommendations before your Surgery

Day of Procedure

Day of Surgery Timeline and What to Know

Recovery

Information to Know and Understand Before You're Discharged

  Visitor Restrictions

18 years and older
Due to COVID-19, Yellowstone Surgery Center is currently allowing only one visitor per patient to stay in the building.

Younger than 18
A parent or legal guardian must stay in the building at all times. Yellowstone Surgery Center prefers one, however, we will allow for two.

Masks
If you have a mask, please wear it during your time at Yellowstone Surgery Center. If you do not have a mask, Yellowstone Surgery Center will provide one.

Testing
A COVID-19 test will be required prior to elective surgery and pain procedures. This will be arranged through your Surgeons office.