Flap surgery on Tuesday

kkmay · 03-21-2011, 05:32 AM

Just a misunderstanding.

SCI-Nurse · 03-21-2011, 09:28 AM

Getting home care set up may be an option but only if you have enough home support from both a licensed home care nurse and family or attendants, as you will be flat in the Clinitron bed and most likely will need help with all of your care. We don't even allow the patient to do their own bowel care (if you were able to do this before) as we have had them disrupt their sutures and contaminate the incision with stool.

You may have to put back your surgery to get this arranged and find out if your home can accommodate a Clinitron-At-Home bed (they weigh about 1400 lb.) and if your insurance will pay for the rental of the bed and home care nursing from an agency. The drains (usually Jackson-Pratt drains) most likely need to stay in for 2-4 weeks until they stop putting out any drainage for 24-48 hours, and must be properly emptied and the output measured, but it is possible for the nurse to train a family member or attendant to do this. I would recommend spending the first 10-14 days in the acute hospital as this is when most complications tend to occur.

We use the Clinitron for 5 weeks (if everything goes perfectly post-op), and continue another 1 week of total bedrest on a low air loss mattress, then gradually start a sitting program that takes 3 weeks to reach 4 hours of sitting twice daily (again, if everything goes perfectly) prior to discharge home. We also recommend continuing on the low air loss mattress for at least 6 months post-op.

(KLD)

kkmay · 03-21-2011, 09:58 AM

Thanks for the heads up on some things I did not know.

SCI-Nurse · 03-21-2011, 04:58 PM

Closed at the OP's request.

(KLD)

03-21-2011, 05:32 AM	#1
kkmay Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: In your nightmares Posts: 1,704	Flap surgery on Tuesday Just a misunderstanding. __________________ "No one knows what it means, but it's provocative." Last edited by kkmay; 03-21-2011 at 03:46 PM.

03-21-2011, 09:58 AM	#3
kkmay Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: In your nightmares Posts: 1,704	Thanks for the heads up on some things I did not know. __________________ "No one knows what it means, but it's provocative."

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03-21-2011, 09:28 AM	#2
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,344	Getting home care set up may be an option but only if you have enough home support from both a licensed home care nurse and family or attendants, as you will be flat in the Clinitron bed and most likely will need help with all of your care. We don't even allow the patient to do their own bowel care (if you were able to do this before) as we have had them disrupt their sutures and contaminate the incision with stool. You may have to put back your surgery to get this arranged and find out if your home can accommodate a Clinitron-At-Home bed (they weigh about 1400 lb.) and if your insurance will pay for the rental of the bed and home care nursing from an agency. The drains (usually Jackson-Pratt drains) most likely need to stay in for 2-4 weeks until they stop putting out any drainage for 24-48 hours, and must be properly emptied and the output measured, but it is possible for the nurse to train a family member or attendant to do this. I would recommend spending the first 10-14 days in the acute hospital as this is when most complications tend to occur. We use the Clinitron for 5 weeks (if everything goes perfectly post-op), and continue another 1 week of total bedrest on a low air loss mattress, then gradually start a sitting program that takes 3 weeks to reach 4 hours of sitting twice daily (again, if everything goes perfectly) prior to discharge home. We also recommend continuing on the low air loss mattress for at least 6 months post-op. (KLD)

03-21-2011, 04:58 PM	#4
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,344	Closed at the OP's request. (KLD)