Patient education: Small bowel obstruction – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is a small bowel obstruction? — A small bowel obstruction ("SBO") is a condition in which the small intestine gets blocked. "Small bowel" is another term for the small intestine (figure 1). In an SBO, air, fluid, and food get stuck in the intestine. They can't move through the small intestine the way they normally would.

The intestine can be partly or completely blocked in an SBO. A complete block can lead to serious problems. How long it takes for you to recover, and what you need to do, depends on whether you had surgery for the SBO.

How do I care for myself at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

●Take your medicines as instructed.

●Eat when you are hungry – If you have an upset stomach, it might help to start with clear liquids and foods that are easy to digest, like soup, pudding, toast, or eggs. You can eat other types of foods when you feel ready. If your doctor or nurse gave you specific instructions about what to eat or avoid, follow them.

Below are some additional instructions if you had surgery.

For the first 24 hours after surgery:

●Do not drive or operate heavy or dangerous machinery.

●Do not make any important decisions or sign any important papers.

●Do not drink alcohol of any kind.

You should also:

●Take care of your incision – You might have stitches, skin staples, surgical glue, or a special skin tape on your incision. If you had minimally invasive surgery, you might have more than 1 incision.

•Keep your incision dry and covered with a bandage for the first 1 to 2 days after surgery. Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to keep your incision dry.

•Once you no longer need to keep your incision dry, gently wash it with soap and water whenever you take a shower. Do not put your incision underwater, such as in a bath, pool, or lake. This can slow healing and raise your chance of getting an infection.

•After you wash your incision, pat it dry. Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to put an antibiotic ointment on the incision. They will also tell you if you need to cover your incision with a bandage or gauze.

•Always wash your hands before and after you touch your incision or bandage.

●Increase your activity slowly – Start with short walks around your home, and walk a little more each day.

•Keep coughing and doing deep breathing exercises for 7 to 10 days after you go home. This will help prevent lung infections. When you cough, sneeze, or do deep breathing exercises, press a pillow across your incision to support the wound and ease pain.

•Avoid heavy lifting, sports, and swimming for at least a week or 2. (Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to avoid these or other activities.)

●Use a stool softener to help prevent constipation, if needed. This is a common problem if you take opioid pain medicines. Follow all instructions for taking your pain medicines.

If you had "minimally invasive" surgery, you might have some pain in your shoulder. This is from gas the doctor put into your belly during the surgery. Walking and moving around will help reduce the gas and ease the pain.

What follow-up care do I need? — The doctor will want to see you again to check on your progress. Go to these appointments.

If you had surgery and have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will usually want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks. Some stitches absorb into the skin on their own and do not need to be removed. If the doctor used skin glue or tape, it will fall off on its own. Do not pick at it or try to remove it yourself.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for advice if:

●You have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills.

●You have redness or swelling around the incisions from your surgery.

●You have bad nausea or vomiting.

●You have very bad belly pain.

●Your belly is swollen or bloated.

●You cannot have a bowel movement or pass gas.

More on this topic

Patient education: Small bowel obstruction (The Basics)