What you need to know before your CHILDS SURGERY.

Once diagnosed and planned for surgery, you will need to be admitted in ward one day prior to the date of surgery.
Blood investigations if pending will be done and if required iv fluids will be started prior to surgery as your child will be required to be kept starving for a few hours before the actual procedure.
The surgeon, the anaesthetist and the nursing staff will visit you before the surgery and ask a few basic questions regarding diet, allergies, past illnesses and present illness.
A valid written and informed consent for the anaesthesia and procedure/surgery will be taken separately from one/both parents (and assent from the child if above 12 years of age) within the 24hours before the time of surgery. Please read the information carefully before signing with your name, date and time.
Half hour before scheduled time of surgery, you will be shifted to the pre-OR room, you can accompany your child till here.
Your child will be given medicine to make him sleepy/drowsy(Sedation) in front of you itself, so his anxiety is minimal before he/she is taken to the OR for further procedure.
The OR is a strictly sterile area, hence parents, or any blood relatives aren’t allowed within the OT complex.
Once inside, your child will be put on the advanced monitoring devices before he/she is given any further medications. After the vitals monitoring is established then only the anaesthesia procedure is started.
After the patient is fully anaesthetised and the vitals are stabilised, then the Surgeon takes over. The patient is positioned as per the requirement of surgery and the parts involved are thoroughly cleaned and draped.
The patients surgical site is thoroughly cleaned, prepared and draped and the surgery starts. Details of specific surgery will be explained to you beforehand as per the procedure planned.

After the Surgery

Your child will wake up in the Post Anaesthesia Care Unit (PACU)/ Recovery Room near the surgery area. He or she may be kept under observation here for 1 to 2 hours.
As soon as your child recovers from the anaesthesia, he will be taken back to his room.
Your child will receive needed fluids and medicines, such as antibiotics and pain medicines, through an IV (intravenous line).
Your child will need to get up and walk around soon after surgery once the doctor advices. This will help to “wake up” the bowels, and help with breathing and blood circulation.

Nutrition

Your child will be allowed to eat when there are signs the bowel is working (passing gas, a bowel movement or “growling” sounds in the belly). This is usually a few hours after most surgeries. When allowed to eat, your child will be given clear liquids such as water, Coconut water, non-fizz Appy or broth. If he has no problems drinking clear liquids, he will be allowed to have a soft diet first before he/she is allowed a full meal.

Care of the Surgical wound

Your child will have a gauze and tape dressing, which is preferably waterproof. The dressing may be removed 3 to 4 days after surgery. If there are small strips of white tape (called Steri-Strips™) or a clear dressing (Opsite™) under this dressing, leave them in place.Do not remove them unless your child’s doctor says it is okay.
Your child may not go swimming or take tub baths for 2 weeks.
Showers are allowed after at least 3 days from surgery. Incision sites should be dried well after the shower.

Activity

Your child should play quietly for the first week at home or until he sees the doctor at his follow-up appointment. This means no heavy lifting, no vigorous activities, no running, swimming or bike riding. Avoid crowded places and family functions.

When to Call the Doctor

Contact your child’s doctor for any of the following:

Any of the incision sites become reddened or swollen.
Fluid or blood around any of the cuts.
Vomiting
Fever over 101 degrees by mouth or 102 degrees rectally (in the child’s bottom)
Abdomen becomes distended (full and firm) or your child acts as if he has belly pain
Your child cannot have a bowel movement
Any other questions or concerns