Day Surgery Leaflet: Examination Under Anaesthesia (EUA) of Rectum / Anus

Examination Under Anaesthesia (EUA) of Rectum / Anus: You will be going home on the day of your surgery after you are able to eat and drink and have passed urine. You would stay in the hospital for a minimum of one hour for observations. You will need a responsible adult to pick you up from the hospital and stay with you overnight.

Leaflet Details

Patient Information

After your surgery

• You will be going home on the day of your surgery after you are able to eat and drink and have passed urine. You would stay in the hospital for a minimum of one hour for observations. You will need a responsible adult to pick you up from the hospital and stay with you overnight.

Dressings

• You do not need any dressings except for a pad / sanitary towels to absorb any discharge. This needs to be changed regularly until the discharge has stopped.
   
• If you had biopsy (tissue sample) taken, removal of polyp/s, fissurectomy (removal of anal skin tear), removal of anal tag (excess skin), Botox injection (for the treatment of fissures), haemorrhoidal artery ligation (reducing blood flow to shrink the haemorrhoids), banding or removal of haemorrhoids, you may have a thin, medicated net-like dressing (jelonet) on your anus. This will fall off once you have opened your bowels or have a shower, usually the next day. This can be disposed of and no further dressings are needed.

Hygiene

• It is important to keep the area clean and dry at all times. We suggest you use plain water and/or mild, unscented soap after each bowel movement or bath at least twice a day beginning the day after your surgery for as long as there is a discharge.
   
• Pat the area dry with a clean dry towel, do not rub as this may increase pain and/or bleeding. You can use a cotton wool soaked in plain water to clean the area if needed.

Bleeding

• You may have a small amount of bleeding during the first few weeks especially when you open your bowels. This is normal and will settle down. If there is excessive bleeding, contact the Day Surgery Unit or Eliot ward for advice.

Pain

• It is common to have pain around the area. Please take regular pain relief until this wears off. You may be prescribed stronger pain relief if your doctor deems it necessary, with laxatives to prevent you being constipated.
   
• You may also find it is quite uncomfortable to sit for long periods of time. You are advised to relieve the pressure on your back passage until it is comfortable. It is not advisable to use a donut pillow as it delays the healing process.

Diet

• You can eat and drink as normal after surgery.
   
• It is important that you avoid getting constipated as this can be very painful and may increase the bleeding when you strain. You are advised to drink plenty of fluids and eat a balanced, high fibre diet to avoid this. You may be prescribed some laxatives by your surgeons. It is recommended that you take them as instructed.

Driving

• You are advised not to drive for at least 48-72 hours and until you are comfortable enough to sit down normally and can perform an emergency stop safely.
   
• If you had surgery for haemorrhoids, this may take around two weeks before you are able to drive comfortably.

Activities

• You need to take it easy for a few days. You are advised to take short walks the day after surgery, slowly building up to your normal activities.
   
• You need to avoid any heavy lifting for 2-3 weeks after a haemorrhoidectomy.
   
• Providing that your job does not involve physical exertion, you may return to work as soon as you feel able to do so. Most people feel ready to return to work after a week (or two weeks after haemorrhoidectomy).

Blood clot prevention

• It is important that you resume normal activities as advised and keep active. You must wear the anti-embolic stockings given to you for 7 days, both during the day and at night. They can be removed while you have a shower and applied again afterwards.
   
• Depending on your medical risk factors, you may be prescribed blood-thinning injections to take after your operation. These help prevent blood clots such as in the leg (deep vein thrombosis) or the lung (pulmonary embolus).

Follow up appointment

• You may be advised to attend an outpatient appointment; the details will be sent to you via post by your surgeon’s secretary. Results of any biopsy (tissue sample) will be discussed with you during the appointment.
   
• If you do not require any follow up outpatient appointment, you are advised to contact your GP for any further concerns.

What to watch out for:

Please attend your GP surgery if:

• The area feels inflamed, has an offensive discharge, suddenly becomes very painful and you develop a high temperature
   
• You have not opened your bowels for longer than 4 days
   
• If the bleeding has persisted for longer than two weeks and has not decreased in amount

Please attend the Accident and Emergency department if:

• You have excessive, uncontrolled bleeding and severe pain both on your rectum and lower abdomen.

Useful contact numbers:

• Day Surgery Unit Ashford hospital 01784 884609 or 01784 884189 between 8am-9pm Monday to Friday
   
• Eliot ward 01784 884005 or 01784 884575 after 9pm weekdays, all day weekends and bank holidays
   
• ASPH Main Switchboard 01932 872000 and ask to be connected to your surgeon’s secretary for appointment queries

If you feel unwell and needed urgent medical care, please go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Department immediately and bring your discharge letter with you.