When To Call Us

We may not be there to guide you in person, but we want you to know that Dr. Henke and the entire office staff is ready to assist you with any postoperative questions or concerns you may have. Once you are home, it is important that you communicate any unusual sensations, pain, discomfort and more. While complications are rare, they are possible and need to be addressed quickly. Here are some rules of thumb to follow when you’re back home:

First, and most importantly, if you believe you are having a medical emergency, Dial 911 immediately

Otherwise, please call our office promptly if you experience any of the following

• Your incision begins to open. Be sure to cover it immediately with a clean gauze dressing
• Consistent fever of 100 F or greater
• You experience the signs of infection, including the incision becoming very red and inflamed, smelling bad or discharging thick liquid. In some circumstances, you may see red streaks coming from the incision site
• Nausea and/or vomiting and not being able to hold down liquids
• Increasing abdominal pain or soreness

The rule of thumb is that you should feel progressively better each day after surgery. You will feel soreness and discomfort and you will see some bruising and redness as well as a little discharge from your wounds. If any of these symptoms get worse over time, it could signal a complication and should be addressed by Dr. Henke as soon as possible.