Umbilical hernia: postoperative period

An umbilical hernia operation is now one of the simplest surgical interventions. This is usually a planned procedure. In some cases, with a positive result, the patient can be at home in a few hours, a recovery and rehabilitation period is necessary.

An umbilical hernia after surgery is a resolved issue, and most often, the patient no longer returns to this issue, but only if he behaves correctly in the recovery period.

Operation types

Now surgery uses three main methods for removing an umbilical hernia:

• Installation of an implant;
• Mesh installation;
• Laparoscopy.

The last option is the most gentle, as it is carried out through punctures, and the patient will not have obvious sutures. But the doctor, based on the individual diagnosis of each patient, chooses one or another type of intervention.

The recovery period after laparoscopy is the easiest, and often the patient, after a few hours under the supervision of doctors, goes home.

If the operation consists of placing a mesh or an implant to support a weakened muscle wall, the patient must undergo a rehabilitation course in the clinic for about 5 to 7 days, depending on the condition.

With any type of operation on the umbilical hernia, rehabilitation after the operation is necessary.

Postoperative period

1. Immediately after the end of the operation, after coming out of anesthesia, the patient is observed by the anesthesiologist and the attending physician who performed the operation.
2. During the first hours, it is necessary to observe bed rest, and minimal activity - the area with sutures must be motionless.
3. After the end of the operation, painkillers, antibiotics are prescribed, and if the doctor sees the relevance, physiotherapy.
4. If the operation was abdominal in nature, on the 2nd - 3rd day, after the examination, the doctor decides on permission to get up and move around. Most often, you will not be allowed to sit after this kind of intervention.
5. After the operation to remove the umbilical hernia, it is necessary to use a special device - a bandage. The doctor will personally recommend the size and type, most likely, he will do this before the operation, so that you have it with you right away.

Bandage after surgery

To prevent the release of the hernial sac, and reduce pressure on the suture area, a bandage is required after umbilical hernia surgery . This is an individual postoperative remedy, which is selected taking into account the physiological and operational characteristics.

The bandage can be both highly specialized and universal, and with the same operation for two patients, the doctor may prescribe the wearing of different devices.

You should not independently make a choice in favor of a particular model, or agree to use someone else's bandage. This is a very individual thing, since when choosing a doctor, he is based on several characteristics and features of the surgical intervention.

How much to wear a bandage after an umbilical hernia operation , at the first moment even the attending surgeon will not answer you, since the course of the recovery and rehabilitation period is different for each man.

Most likely, the wearing period will be from two months to six months, depending, again, on many conditions.

Activity in the postoperative period

The umbilical hernia will disappear after the operation , but your responsibility for lifestyle is the condition that the problem will not return.

On the first day or two after the operation, it is better to stay in bed and move as little as possible. Following the advice of a doctor, you can quickly recover.

From active movements, the sutures may diverge, the implant or mesh may be displaced. This threatens the patient with a second operation.

After 3-4 days, you are allowed to get up, perform some hygiene procedures. But, it is worth excluding such movements as:

• Incline;
• Squat;
• Lifting things from the floor;
• A sharp tilt from a lying position to a sitting state;
• Body turns;

The doctor will give precise recommendations that relate specifically to your case, individually. And if your roommate can already do some exercises, you should not think that you can do it.

Recovery after umbilical hernia surgery depends on the first postoperative days - the more accurately the patient follows the doctor's orders, the faster and more painlessly the rehabilitation period will pass, and the return to the usual way of life.

Rehabilitation after umbilical hernia surgery in adults

7 days after the operation, as a rule, the stitches are removed and the patient is discharged from the hospital. But rehabilitation after umbilical hernia surgery in men should continue.

It is necessary to visit a doctor for dressings and examination. In no case should you do the dressing yourself, since the patient may not notice the slightest changes that an experienced surgeon will notice.

It is necessary to continue wearing the bandage, and remove it only after the permission of the doctor. Rehabilitation after umbilical hernia in adults is based on the system:

• Proper physical activity to return to the usual way of life and condition;
• Proper nutrition in order to be careful about the sutures and the implant;
• Visiting a doctor for further advice and control.

Diet

Recovery after umbilical hernia surgery will be of high quality and fast if you follow the rules of nutrition for up to 3 months. This is exactly the period when the internal and external seams will no longer be at risk.

Diet after umbilical hernia surgery is a separate, very serious topic. Most patients, as soon as it becomes possible to move and choose their own food, they forget about caution.

Patients should know what to eat after umbilical hernia surgery , how often to eat, and what foods are strictly prohibited in the early days.

It is important to know the basic rules of nutrition:

• Eat 4-5 times a day, in small portions;
• Monitor the quality of the diet, the balance in them of the necessary elements;
• Refuse complex dishes;
• Refuse fatty and spicy foods and snacks;
• Refuse fried and baked;
• Minimize the use of dairy products, or refuse to use them;
• Give up alcohol.

Opt for boiled, stewed or steamed vegetables. Give up foods such as potatoes, cabbage, legumes - they lead to excessive gas formation, and this can damage the postoperative area.

To improve gastric peristalsis, choose foods rich in carbohydrates, less fat, and low in protein.

What can you eat after umbilical hernia surgery:

• In the early days it is better to stop on liquid food;
• Fruits and vegetables rich in fiber;
• Buckwheat without milk;
• Egg;
• Lean meat;
• Fish.

You need to return to your usual food carefully, introduce complex dishes into the diet only 2-3 weeks after the operation. Some weight loss will be beneficial, and the recovery period will be significantly reduced due to this.

It is worth leaving the postoperative diet slowly, starting to eat more complex foods in small quantities. The following rules must be followed:

• Maintain a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates;
• Give importance to fortified, wholesome food;
• Be sure to have liquid meals once a day;
• Monitor the emptying of the stomach, avoid constipation;
• Avoid alcohol and cigarettes, as the condition of the vessels is the main condition for a quick recovery.

surgery and the postoperative period will be easy if proper nutrition both before and after the operation becomes your habit.

Physical exercise

As soon as the patient leaves the walls of the hospital, an important stage begins. Rehabilitation after an umbilical hernia in adults is a systematic approach to recovery and return to the usual way of life and work.

In the next three months, it is necessary to begin to increase the load, but within the permissible limits, without fanaticism. If you play sports, in no case do not return to the previous loads.

It is good if the patient consults with a physiotherapist, and he, on the basis of the doctor's opinion, will develop an individual recovery program.

1. The first exercises three months after the operation should be exercises in the supine position without pressure on the muscles of the abdomen and chest. Perform exercises without removing the corset.
2. Breathing exercises to strengthen the anterior wall of the abdomen are necessary before starting strength exercises.
3. Cardio workouts will help you get back in shape after a long period of static.

Proper exercise, diet, wearing a corset, giving up bad habits can shorten the rehabilitation period for umbilical hernia in adults . The desire and serious attitude of the patient and the unquestioning fulfillment of the doctor's instructions are the main conditions for a quick return to work, sports, and the usual way of life.