WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:
Liver resection is surgery to remove part of your liver.
AFTER YOU LEAVE:
- Antibiotics: This medicine is given to help treat or prevent an infection caused by bacteria.
- Pain medicine: You may be given a prescription medicine to decrease pain. Do not wait until the pain is severe before you take this medicine.
- Take your medicine as directed. Call your healthcare provider if you think your medicine is not helping or if you have side effects. Tell him if you are allergic to any medicine. Keep a list of the medicines, vitamins, and herbs you take. Include the amounts, and when and why you take them. Bring the list or the pill bottles to follow-up visits. Carry your medicine list with you in case of an emergency.
Follow up with your healthcare provider or surgeon as directed:
You may need to return for more tests. Write down your questions so you remember to ask them during your visits.
Follow your healthcare provider's instructions about how to care for your wound at home.
Take deep breaths and cough 10 times each hour.
This will decrease your risk for a lung infection. Take a deep breath and hold it for as long as you can. Let the air out and then cough strongly. Deep breaths help open your airway. You may be given an incentive spirometer to help you take deep breaths. Put the plastic piece in your mouth and take a slow, deep breath, then let the air out and cough. Repeat these steps 10 times every hour.
Prevent deep vein thrombosis:
Surgery can increase the risk that blood clots will form in a major vein in your leg or arm. This is a serious condition called deep vein thrombosis. The following can help prevent blood clots:
- Compression stockings: These are tight elastic stockings that put pressure on your legs after your surgery. The pressure is highest in the toe area and decreases as it goes toward your thighs. Pressure stockings help push blood back up to your heart and keep clots from forming.
- Walking: This may help prevent a blood clot and decrease your risk for a lung infection.
Ask when you can return to your normal activities, such as work and school.
For more information:
- American Liver Foundation
39 Broadway Suite 2700
New York , New York 10006
Phone: 1- 212 - 668-1000
Phone: 1- 800 - 465-4837
Web Address: http://www.liverfoundation.org
Contact your healthcare provider or surgeon if:
- You have a fever.
- You have pain in the area of your wound that does not get better with rest or medicine.
- Your wound is red, warm, and swollen.
- Your stitches come loose.
- You have questions or concerns about your condition or care.
Seek care immediately or call 911 if:
- You are not able to eat, and you lose weight.
- You have foul-smelling drainage coming from your wound.
- You have severe abdominal pain.
- You have yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.
- Your arm or leg feels warm, tender, and painful. It may look swollen and red.
- Blood soaks through your bandage.
- You suddenly feel lightheaded and short of breath.
- You have chest pain when you take a deep breath or cough. You may cough up blood.
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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.