Day Surgery Leaflet: Laparoscopy (Gynaecology)

Laparoscopy (Gynaecology): 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 to two hours 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 to two hours for observations. You will need a responsible adult to pick you up from the hospital and stay with you overnight.

Dressings

• You have a waterproof dressing over your wounds. This needs to be kept clean and dry for 5-7 days and can be removed after this time or until the stitches are removed (usually 10-14 days). You must have a shower but not a bath for at least 2 weeks. Please change the dressings with spare ones provided if they get dirty or wet. When changing the dressing, you need to peel the dressings off and apply the new ones without touching the wound. Wash your hands before and after.
   
• Occasionally, if there is no visible dressing, you may have a special skin glue applied on the wound sites. You need to keep the wound clean and dry for at least 24 hours before having a shower. The glue will wash away on its own accord; or you can gently wipe it away after 7 days.
   
• You may have a pressure dressing over your skin dressing. This is usually not waterproof and can be removed after 24 hours.

Stitches

• Stitches are usually dissolvable and do not need to be removed. This usually takes a few weeks to dissolve. Sometimes the edges may need trimming and can be bothersome. You can contact your GP surgery and make an appointment with your practice nurse to have these trimmed as necessary.
   
• Occasionally, non-dissolvable stitches may be used. You will be informed by the discharging nurse if this is the case. You will need to make an appointment with your practice nurse to have these removed between 10-14 days’ time.

Wound care

• You will experience bruising and slight swelling around the wounds. This should settle down after one to two weeks.
   
• If you notice any bleeding through the dressings, please apply firm pressure over it for about 15-20 minutes. If the bleeding does not stop, please go to your nearest A and E department.

Vaginal Bleeding

• You may experience a small amount of period-like bleeding from your vagina for a few days after surgery. Initially, this will be red in color and would turn into a reddish-brown to brownish discharge until it settles down.
   
• You need to use sanitary pads after surgery and not tampons until the discharge has stopped. It is important to change your pads regularly and keep the area clean.

Pain

• It is common to have pain on the abdomen. Please take regular pain relief until this wears off.
   
• You may feel some abdominal bloating due to the gases used to inflate your abdomen, this usually settles down in a day or two. You can drink peppermint tea or sparkling water to help ease this.
   
• You may also experience shoulder pain caused by small amount of gas left after surgery. This usually resolves after a day or two. Gentle walking as soon as possible can help relieve this pain.

Diet

• You may eat and drink normally.
   
• You may find that some pain relief medications can cause you to become a little constipated. You are advised to have a high fibre diet and drink plenty of fluids. However, if you have not opened your bowels for more than 3 days, a mild over-the-counter laxative may be required. Please speak to the pharmacist for advice.

Activities

• You need to take it easy for a couple of weeks. You are advised to take short walks the day after surgery, slowly building up to your normal activities.
   
• You can have a shower the day after your surgery. You are advised to avoid a bath for at least two weeks or until the wound has healed.
   
• You may resume sexual intercourse once you feel comfortable unless specified by your surgeons.
   
• You need to avoid any heavy lifting or contact sports for 2-4 weeks.
   
• You should not drive for 2 weeks and until you are able to make an emergency stop safely. It is advisable to check with your insurance company as they may have different policies.
   
• 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 within a couple of weeks.

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.
   
• You will have been given a blood thinning injection either during or after surgery. These help prevent blood clots such as in the leg (deep vein thrombosis) or the lung (pulmonary embolus). Depending on your medical risk factors, you may need to have this injection for a few days at home. You will be given instructions on how to administer them by your nurse.

Follow up appointment

• You may have a follow-up appointment in the outpatient clinic after 6-8 weeks; this can be a telephone follow up. An appointment letter will be sent to you with the details by your surgeon’s secretary.
   
• If you do not need any follow up appointment, your surgeons will write to your GP for the continuation of your care.
   
• If you are currently under the care of a specialist nurse in pelvic care, you may have your outpatient appointment with them instead.

What to watch out for:

Please contact your GP if:

• The wound/s looks inflamed, hot to touch, has an offensive discharge and you have a temperature as these are signs of infection
   
• If the vaginal bleeding lasts longer than a week
   
• If you need further pain relief

Please attend Accident and Emergency department if:

• There is significant swelling around the wound/s and the skin looks very dark and feels hard to touch
   
• The pain becomes severe and unmanageable
   
• The bleeding from the wound and/or vagina becomes excessive and uncontrolled
   
• You are unable to pass urine and experience severe pain in your 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 on weekdays, all day weekends and bank holidays
   
• Specialist Nurse for Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis 01932 722655 or 07824 866696
   
• 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.