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Dr. Dimitrijevic's postoperative instructions for tummy tuck
1. Your abdomen is bandaged with abdominal gauze-pads, and
the abdominal binder. Leave them on for 48 hours after your
go home. Then, you can take the abdominal binder and all other
dressings off and get in the shower. You can take the yellow
gauze out from the belly button. Leave your Steri-strips (surgical
tape along the incision line) on for the shower. You can take
the drains into the shower as well. After showering, pat dry
all of your incisions and wrap your abdomen with the abdominal
binder. If there is drainage on the abdominal binder, place
clean pieces of gauze on the incision line and wrap the abdominal
binder over the gauze. Absolutely no baths or swimming for
2-3 weeks. Showering is OK.
2. Empty and record your drain output daily. The markings
are on the side of the drain bulb in increments of 25cc. The
drains will be pulled out in the office when the total daily
output is less than 30cc.
3. Call and make a follow-up appointment for 7 days following
surgery.
4. Keep your abdominal binder on at all time for 3 weeks.
Do not pick up objects greater than 5 pounds (i.e. phone book
= 5 pounds).
5. If the abdominal binder is too tight, you can rewrap
it to a comfortable level, but the binder has to be situated
over the lower abdomen and your hip area.
6. Do not apply a heating pad over your abdomen. Portions
of your abdomen will be numb and you may get a burn from the
heating pad.
7. Scar therapy for your incisions will start at 2 weeks
following surgery. Dr. Dimitrijevic will instruct you regarding scar
creams.
8. Stay out of the sun. Sun exposure will make your scars
red, raised, and persistently irritated for a long period
of time. Make every effort to avoid the sun for up to 1 year
following surgery. You can cover up the incision with sun
screen (SPF 15 or above) or clothing.
9. Make every effort to walk around the house and sit in
a chair starting on the day that you are home from surgery.
Staying in bed for long periods of time can lead to blood
clots in your legs or your lungs. Also, parts of your lung
can collapse and cause fevers.
10. You may return to normal activity and exercise in 3
weeks following surgery.
11. You may feel “funny”, tingling sensations over your
abdomen a few weeks after surgery. This is normal recovery
of some sensory nerves in your abdomen.
12. If you are constipated, take over-the-counter laxatives.
You do not want to strain over the toilet. This will place
pressures over the suture line which may result in loosening
of the inner layer of sutures within the abdomen.
13. Call with any questions or concerns. Dr. Dimitrijevic is available
through the office phone number 24/7. Don’t ever feel badly
about calling.
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