Pre-Surgery Checklist
- Increasing calorie intake prior to surgery can help streamline recovery
- Cleaning the abdomen prior to surgery can help reduce the risk of infection
- Some women may need to prepare the bowel prior to surgery
“Ideally, we encourage our patients to plan like they’re going to perform a race, so they’re not going to starve themselves before surgery. They’re going to take in an appropriate number of calories,” says Dr. Michael McHale, gynecologic oncologist at the University of California, San Diego. The goal: to keep your energy level high and nourish your body before surgery.
Read More- Eat well: Before surgery, you want to nourish your body as if you’re training for a marathon. While you’re appetite may be waning, it’s important to eat appropriately, get enough calories, and provide your body with the fuel it needs to undergo extensive surgery.
- Hydrate: Taking in sufficient fluid helps support your body’s organs, joints, and tissues. It also helps flush out toxins after major surgery.
- Exercise: In the days and weeks leading up to surgery, exercise plays a key role in maintaining a healthy mind and body. In fact, there’s good evidence to suggest that building stamina through exercise, even just walking, can lead to a better surgical outcomes and speedier recovery times.
About half of women experience a complication related to ovarian cancer surgery. The chances of complications following surgery depend on a number of factors, including your age, extent of disease, and whether you have unrelated health conditions. You can do your part to reduce your risk of infections and complications with proper nutrition, exercise, and hydration.
Pre-Op Cleaning
Preparing for surgery extends beyond lab tests, imaging exams and pre-operative visits. It also includes taking steps at home to reduce the risk of infection and complications.
“The day before surgery and also the morning of the surgery, we ask patients to use a particular soap,” Dr. McHale says. Doctors tend to recommend a product called Hibiclens®, which you can pick up at most drug stores. You’ll pour the soap on a damp, clean washcloth or new shower sponge and wash your body from head to toe.
Some patients also need to clean their intestines from the inside with a bowel prep, which may include drinking certain fluids that stimulate your intestines. “Your doctor may also prescribe oral antibiotics to help prep the bowel and reduce the bacterial load within the intestines,” Dr. McHale says. The day before surgery, your doctor may ask you to:
- Drink only clear liquids and eat no solid food the day before.
- Avoid milk and milk products
- Avoid all foods and liquids after midnight before your surgery
Some of these practices are changing among some surgeons, who permit food as much as 6 hours before surgery. Follow your doctor’s advice.
Added together, these measures will help clear the bowel and may reduce the risk of developing a post-operative infection. Unfortunately, patients who develop an infection after surgery require longer hospital stays, which can be complicated during the coronavirus pandemic.
Unsure about the best way to prepare for your procedure? Talk to your doctor. Every ovarian cancer surgery is different, so it’s important to make sure you’re following your doctor’s orders.
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