Post Operative Instructions

Contacts

For routine post operative appointments, please call Jan or Jackie on 9558 1177.  Your surgeon is available for emergencies at any time via the same number.

General Advice

You will have had local anaesthetic to numb the operative field. This can last up to 24 hours.  As soon as you feel sensation beginning to return, take some pain relief as directed by your anaesthetist.

Antibiotics may be prescribed, please take these as directed. They are often not required for elective surgery, so don’t worry if they have not been prescribed for you.

Hand Surgery

Keep you hand elevated in a sling for 72 hours.  You can take the sling off before bed and use a pillow under the arm to keep it elevated above heart level.

Hand therapy is generally required to rehabilitate the hand and will usually start within the first

week.  Your hand therapist will usually see you with your surgeon at the first post operative appointment, though in some cases they may see you sooner.

Please keep all dressings dry and intact until review.  A plastic bag to cover the arm for shower or

bath may be required.

Whilst it is unusual, please contact your surgeon if -

• You feel the dressings become tight and you experience throbbing in the limb.

• There is bright red blood seeping through the dressing

• Fingers look dusky

• You feel concerned as there is often a simple solution

Skin Cancer Surgery

Keep dressings dry and intact.

Exposed suture lines should have Chlorsig ointment applied twice daily for 5 days.  This will supplied to you upon discharge from hospital.

If there is oozing or bleeding, put pressure on the wound and call your surgeon if it doesn’t stop within a few minutes.

Skin grafts often have a yellow/green dressing used to apply pressure to the graft and keep it in place - this will be removed at the first post operative visit.