Patient education: Appendectomy – 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 appendectomy? — Appendectomy is the main treatment for appendicitis (when the appendix gets infected and inflamed). This surgery can be done in 2 ways:

●Open surgery – During an open surgery, the doctor makes a cut, or "incision," in the skin. This allows them to see directly inside the body when they do the surgery.

●Minimally invasive surgery – "Minimally invasive" surgery lets the doctor make smaller cuts in the skin. They insert long, thin tools through the cuts. One of the tools has a camera (called a "laparoscope") on the end, which sends pictures to a TV screen. The doctor can look at the screen to see inside the body. Then, they use the long tools to do the surgery. They can control the tools directly, or with the help of a robot (this is called "robot-assisted" surgery).

You might be able to return to normal activities sooner if you had minimally invasive surgery than if you had an open surgery.

If your appendix has burst, your surgery will probably be more complicated than it would be if it had not burst. Your doctor needs to wash away the material that spills out when the appendix burst. As a result, your incisions might be larger or you might spend more time in surgery. Your recovery might also take longer.

How can 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.

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. Getting it too wet 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 activities.)

●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.

●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.

●Be aware that if you had minimally invasive surgery, you might have some pain in your shoulder. This is from the gas the doctor put into your belly for 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 after surgery to check on your progress. Go to these appointments.

If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks. 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 nausea or vomiting for more than 2 days after going home.

●You have any symptoms that worry you.

More on this topic

Patient education: Appendectomy (The Basics)
Patient education: Appendicitis in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Appendicitis in children (The Basics)