Convalescence
After the first day or two, you will begin to feel better, and the drains and intravenous lines will usually be removed. You will be encouraged to sit in the chair by the bed as much as possible and go for short walks around the floor.
In modern post-operative care, every effort is made to get the patient out of bed and moving around as soon as possible. This practice has proved to be beneficial to the patient because it has reduced the occurrence of complications, such as lung infection, lung collapse, thrombophlebitis (clotting in the veins), and emboli (movement of clots to the heart or lungs).
Skin stitches and clips are usually removed after 8 to 10 days. On a large abdominal scar, every second stitch is removed on one day, and the rest are removed a day or two later. The stitch is cut below the knot and pulled out with a pair of forceps. It is no more uncomfortable than having a hair plucked out. To remove clips, the nurse uses a special pair of forceps that are placed under the clip and squeezed to open it. Again, the discomfort is minimal. Butterfly sutures are removed like a piece of adhesive tape.
The scar is cleaned with an antiseptic solution and re-covered with an ordinary dressing. A deep scar does not fade completely for up to a year, although by the time the stitches come out, the wound is stable enough for normal daily activities. At first the scar is a raised, red line, but as the line fades to white, the swelling slowly reduces and the scar shrinks. You may experience a slight tingling sensation or numbness in the skin surrounding the scar, but this usually disappears after a few months.
