Version July 2025
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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 resection? —
This is a surgery to remove part or all of the small bowel. The small bowel is also called the "small intestine." It connects the stomach to the large intestine (figure 1).
Doctors might do a small bowel resection to treat problems such as:
●Cancer or polyps
●Bleeding
●Digestive tract disorders, such as severe diverticulitis or inflammatory bowel disease
●A leak (hole) or blockage in the bowel
●An injury to the bowel
●Scar tissue that traps or blocks the bowel
The surgery can be done in 2 ways:
●Open surgery – The doctor makes a cut, or "incision," in the skin. This lets them see directly inside the body.
●Minimally invasive surgery – The doctor makes smaller incisions in the skin. They insert long, thin tools through the incisions. 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 belly. Then, they use the long tools to do the surgery. They can control the tools directly or with the help of a robot (called "robot-assisted" surgery).
How long it takes for you to recover, and what you need to do, depends on which type of surgery you had. If you had minimally invasive surgery, you might be able to return to your normal activities sooner. With open surgery, it usually takes longer to recover.
How do I care for myself at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
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:
●Make sure you know how to care for the ileostomy, if you have one (figure 2). You also need to know how and when to empty or change the ostomy bag.
●Take all your medicines as instructed:
•If you take opioid pain medicines, you might get constipated. You can use a stool softener to help. Follow all instructions for taking your pain medicines.
•Take non-prescription medicines to relieve pain, such as acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol), ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve). You can take these instead of opioids.
•Some people need to take their medicines in a different form. Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to crush your pills or take a liquid form of medicine.
•You might need extra vitamins or supplements. Follow all your doctor's instructions for taking them.
●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. Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to keep it 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 it 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 it. They will also tell you if you need to cover it 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 helps 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. You can also use an abdominal binder to help support your incision.
•Avoid heavy lifting, sports, and swimming for at least 2 to 3 weeks. (Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to avoid these or other activities.)
●Eat when you are hungry. If you have specific instructions about what to eat or avoid, follow them.
●Drink plenty of fluids, unless your doctor told you otherwise. This is especially important if you have an ileostomy.
What follow-up care do I need? —
The doctor will want to see you again to check on your progress and talk about further treatment. Go to these appointments.
If you 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 on their own and do not need to be removed. If the doctor used skin glue or skin 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 your incision.
●You have nausea or vomiting, or cannot eat.
●You have very bad belly pain, or your belly feels swollen or bloated.
●You have new bad shoulder pain.
●You cannot pass gas or have a bowel movement.
●You are constipated, or have many episodes of diarrhea in a day.
●Your bowel movements are bloody, black, or tar colored.
Patient education: Small bowel resection (The Basics)
Patient education: Colon and rectal cancer (The Basics)
Patient education: Colon polyps (The Basics)
Patient education: Diverticulitis (The Basics)
Patient education: Ulcerative colitis in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Ulcerative colitis in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Crohn disease in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Crohn disease in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Newborn necrotizing enterocolitis (The Basics)
Patient education: Colostomy or ileostomy surgery (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for an ostomy (The Basics)
Patient education: Living with an ileostomy (The Basics)
Patient education: Ileostomy diet (The Basics)
Patient education: Colostomy or ileostomy reversal (The Basics)
Patient education: Colon and rectal cancer (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Colon polyps (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Ulcerative colitis (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Crohn disease (Beyond the Basics)
