This information is especially for patients who will undergo surgery.
Whipple
What to Expect and How to Prepare for Your Operation
How to Prepare for Your Operation
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Remember: |
Things to Remember
- Do NOT take any aspirin or aspirin-like products for one week before your operation (see attached sheet for more information).
- You will stay in the hospital for 7-10 days after your operation. When you go home, you will need help with food preparation and general support for 2-3 weeks.
- To prevent pneumonia after your operation the clinic nurse will teach you coughing and deep breathing exercises.
24 Hours Before Your Operation
Things to Do
- Bowel Preparation - If your doctor has ordered a bowel prep, follow the written instructions that your nurse gave you. Take your antibiotics as instructed after your bowels are clean. The first two doses are 2 hours apart.
- Shower - Using the antibacterial soap your nurse gave you, shower and soap your body. Do not use the antibacterial soap on your face and hair. (See directions attached to the soap bottle.) Use your own soap and shampoo on your face and hair. Use clean towels to dry off, and put on clean clothing.
- Arrival Time - The pre-surgery
nurse will call you by 5:00 p.m. the night before your operation.
If you are having surgery on Monday, the nurse will call you on
Friday. If you do not hear from the nurse by
5:00 p.m., please call 206-598-6334.
The pre-surgery nurse will tell you when to come to the hospital and remind you to:
- not eat or drink after a certain time
- take or not take your regular medications
- take high blood pressure, thyroid and seizure medications the day of surgery. Use only enough water to swallow your pills.
What to Expect After Your Surgery
Waking Up After Your Operation
You will wake up in the recovery room. You will feel sleepy. You will have:
- An IV in your arm which will be used to give you medicine for pain and nausea.
- An epidural catheter may be in your back to give you pain medicine. (Your anesthesiologist will decide if you will benefit from this.) This will be inserted before your operation.
- A gastrostomy tube may be inserted through your skin into your stomach to drain gas and fluid out of your stomach until it is ready to digest again.
- A feeding jejunostomy tube may be inserted through your skin into your small intestine. You will receive high nutrition liquid food through this tube.
- A catheter tube will be inserted into your bladder to drain your urine.
- Sequential Compression Devices (SCD's) which are inflatable stockings for your legs.
Recovering in Your Hospital Room
Incision
You doctor will discuss which incision will be used. It will be
either straight up and down in the middle of your abdomen, or across
your abdomen. This will be closed with surgical clips. Avoid putting
stress on your abdomen to allow healing. Do not lift anything heavier
than 15 pounds for five weeks after your operation.
When you go home you will be instructed to look at your incision every day. Notify your doctor if you have any of the signs of infection listed on the last page of this pamphlet.
Pain Management
You will probably have a pain medicine pump for 1-4 days after your
operation, which you control. This will allow you to get medicine
when you need it so that you are comfortable. The anesthesiologist
may discuss with you the opportunity to have an epidural catheter
to control pain after your operation.
When you go home, use the pain medicine your doctor prescribed
for you.
Nutrition
The day of your surgery you will not be allowed to eat anything
by mouth. You will receive fluids through your IV to keep you from
getting dehydrated. When you wake up from your operation you may
have two tubes placed into your abdomen.
- A gastrostomy tube may be placed through your skin into your stomach to drain secretions and gas. This allows the early removal of the nasogastric (NG) tube.
- A feeding jejunostomy tube may be placed into your small intestines to deliver a high nutrition liquid diet through while you recover from your operation.
As your intestines recover from your operation you will pass gas. When this happens you will be able to advance your diet. As you tolerate liquids without having nausea your diet will be advanced to a regular diet as soon as your doctor orders it.
A feeding tube, if present, may be used to provide more calories
until you can eat. If you need tube feedings at home you will be
set up with a company that will provide the materials and a visiting
nurse to follow your progress. You may have the feeding jejunostomy
for up to 3 months.
Activity
Every day you will increase the amount of activity that you do.
This is very important to prevent pneumonia from developing in your
lungs and blood clots from forming in your legs. The day of your
operation your nurse will help you sit on the edge of the bed. The
first day after your operation you will sit in the chair three times
during the day and begin to walk. Two days after your operation
you will walk in the hall three times. As your strength returns
you will be encouraged to do more.
Bowels
After your operation it will take several days for you to have your
first bowel movement. Loose stools are normal at first. After you
go home your bowel function will still be irregular. If you have
watery diarrhea that does not resolve in 2-3 days, or nausea and/or
vomiting call your nurse. Avoid constipation. Please refer to the
information sheet "Constipation After Your Operation."
Bladder Catheter
You may have a catheter in your bladder for up to 5 days.
Precautions and Self-Care to Speed Your Recovery
Shower
You may shower daily.
First Follow-up Visit
At your first office visit your nurse and doctor will review with
you how you are doing at home. It is important to know how your
appetite is, and how your bowels are working. If you are getting
liquid tube feedings they will ask how that is going, and review
your weight. Your surgical incision will be examined, and if the
surgical clips are still present they will be removed. Your doctor
will review your pathology with you. At this time they will also
ask how your pain is and what medication you are taking. They will
also ask you what your activity level is and when you plan to return
to work.
Exercise
To help speed your recovery you should walk daily. You should also
gradually increase the distance that you walk. You cannot lift anything
heavier than 15 pounds for 5 weeks from the time of your operation.
Vigorous activities should be avoided during the first 5 weeks of
your recovery.
Return to Work
How much work you take off depends on what you do for a living.
Most people take from one to two weeks to a few months off to recover.
As you feel able you may return to work. Some patients choose to
start off with shorter days and then increase their hours as their
energy allows.
Questions?Contact Surgical Specialties Nurse
Advice Line: |
Call The Nurse Advice Line or Your Doctor If:
- You have bleeding that soaks your dressing.
- Your temperature is greater than 100.5ºF or 38.5ºC, or you have chills.
- You have any sign of infection: redness, increased pain, swelling, foul-smelling drainage or increase in the amount of drainage from your wound.
- You have recurrent or persistent nausea and/or vomiting.
- You have concerns that cannot wait until your follow-up visit.