Post-Operative Information

Medications

For most patients, we give three prescription medications. All of these medications will be discussed with you prior to surgery during a pre-operative call.

One medication is an anti-inflammatory and is used to prevent swelling. Continue to take the anti-inflammatory, as it will keep inflammation and soreness to a minimum when activity is increased. The anti -inflammatory medication should be taken two times per day with food. While on the anti-inflammatory, you should not take additional ibuprofen, Advil, or Aleve.

One medication is a pain medication. The pain medication is a codeine derivative and should be taken as directed. After several days, pain may reduce significantly.  At this point you may choose to cease taking or decrease the dose of the codeine derivative medication. Common symptoms that can occur while on this medication is nausea, constipation, and drowsiness. If you have more severe reactions such as severe itchiness, rash, severe dizziness, or a slowed heartbeat, please notify our office immediately.

The last medication is an anti-nausea. This should be taken only if necessary. 

You should have Tylenol at home to take throughout the day as an alternative to the pain medication. You can take up to 3000mg of Tylenol per day. We also recommend that you have an over the counter stool softener and laxative at home in cause you have constipation due to the pain medications.

If you are needing a refill, please call contact our office Monday-Friday to discuss the medications that you may need.

Dressing and Showering

After 48 hours you may remove your dressing. There will be small white tape strips (steri-strips) over the incisions. Please keep these on until your first post-operative appointment.  During your 7-12 day post-op visit, your sutures will be removed or trimmed, and new steri-strips will be placed over the incisions.  Allow these new steri-strips to peel off over time. No antibiotic ointments are needed. 

You may shower 48 hours after your surgery and get your incisions wet.  However, do NOT immerse in a tub or pool for 3-4 weeks to avoid excessive scarring and risk of infection. We do want you to soak your incisions until the incision is fully closed.  

Sling/Brace Use

• Slingshot 3 instructions
• Tscope Application

Scar tissue healing

Biocorneum® is an advanced scar tissue treatment gel to use to help with scar tissue healing. This is an option that you can use to promote healing. We do want you to wait at least 3-4 weeks following surgery before rubbing this or any creams over the incision to prevent infection.