Your Hospital Stay
Quick Facts:
- Anesthesia will wear off quickly, usually within 2-3 hours of surgery
- You will experience some discomfort which can be easily managed with pain medication
- You will be constantly monitored by the nursing staff and Dr. Henke
- You will be asked to walk around often to improve circulation, absorb gas from surgery, and prevent blood clots
When you wake up from surgery you will be groggy, but this sensation will start to dissipate rapidly. You may wake up with leg cuffs, which will be removed shortly after you regain consciousness from the anesthesia. These cuffs are an important to maintaining proper circulation after surgery and blood clot prevention. Once removed, you will be asked by the nursing staff to begin ambulating or walking. This jumpstarts circulation and improvement in blood flow, which not only reduces the chance of blood clots known as deep vein thrombosis or DVT, but assists with speeding up recovery. These will be in place while you are in your bed.
As you become more alert, we encourage you to ask the nursing staff and Dr. Henke to clarify any questions you may have about your recovery and being discharged – including what to do when you arrive home. Your mind may still be a bit cloudy, so feel free to have a friend or a loved one with you during these discussions to catch anything you may miss.
Hydration Is an important part of recovery, and initially this will mainly be through your IV. You will start on clear liquids right after surgery allowing you to adapt to your newly shaped stomach and make sure you are ready to go home. Clear liquids will minimize the stress to your stomach initially.
One of the most serious complications of surgery is a leak from the staple line created during surgery. While this is rare, we take every reasonable measure to ensure it doesn’t happen. We test for this during your surgery and watch your vitals signs carefully to detect any possibility that this may happen.
