Post surgery
Day stay surgery
Your operation may be performed as day stay surgery which means you get to go home on the same day, after spending a bit of time resting in our day stay unit. Our recovery nurses will keep a close eye on you during your stay, and when you are safe and comfortable, you can go home. Mr Senthi will try to see you before your discharge to go through the operation detail, what was done, expectations and recovery plan.
Inpatient surgery
Your operation may require you to stay overnight in hospital for observations, wound check, pain management and recovery. Most of Mr Senthi’s operations only require one overnight stay and you will get to go home the next morning, provided you are safe and comfortable.
With more complex fusion and realignment surgery, you may require to stay 2-3 nights to be functionally independent and safe prior to discharge. Mr Senthi will see you at the end of his operating day to go through the operation detail, what was done, expectations and recovery plan. He will also see you the following mornings to ensure you are recovering well and to answer any further questions you may have.
Discharge
Before you are discharged from hospital, we will make sure you can manage your crutches or other walking aids, dressings and post-operative pain medications. You will be given your medication script, post-operative instructions and your follow-up appointment details.
You will need someone to drive you home from hospital on the day and also to stay with you for at least the first night after surgery. Your first follow up appointment will be at 2 weeks with Mr Senthi, for a wound check dressing change or cast change. Depending on the operation, you may see the physiotherapist, to start early rehab.
At home
Depending on your surgery, you may need pain medication up to a week, especially for the first 2-3 days of your post-operative recovery. If able, safely apply ice packs to the surgical area, but please ensure you keep dressings dry and clean. Cold therapy is especially important after exercises to help with pain and swelling. The initial phase of your recovery (first 2 weeks) should emphasise wound healing, reduction of inflammation, swelling and pain. With foot surgery, you may find it more comfortable to sleep with the foot elevated. Please follow your provided post-operative instructions.
Rehab
Mr Senthi and your physiotherapist will provide a rehabilitation plan tailored to your operation. Please follow it alongside your post-operative instructions. Rehab usually starts at 2 weeks and is graduated in a controlled fashion over 12 weeks.
Please do not hesitate to contact our office with any concerns.
When to get help
The hospital and Mr Senthi will give you contact details for after-hours concerns when you go home. Please seek help promptly if you have increasing pain not controlled by your pain relief, a fever or feeling unwell, or redness, swelling, oozing or a smell from your wound. Also seek help if your cast feels too tight, if your toes become numb, tingly or change colour, or if you have pain or swelling in your calf. Call 111 straight away if you have chest pain or sudden shortness of breath. Please also let our office know during working hours.