After Surgery Care

• Do deep breathing exercises as soon as possible to keep your lungs clear after surgery.
• For the first 2 days after surgery take 10 deep breaths 4 to 5 times a day.
• After your deep breaths, cough 2 to 3 times.
• Coughing up a bit of sputum (saliva and mucus) after surgery is normal.

Will I have pain after my surgery?

• You may have some mild pain or discomfort following surgery.
• You will be given a prescription for pain medicine before you leave the hospital.
• Be sure to fill your prescription for pain medicine as soon as possible so that you have it available if you should need it.
• Take your pain medicine exactly as it is directed so that you can have good pain control.
• If you are still having pain after taking your pain medicine or you have concerns about your pain medicine, call the Melanoma Site Nursing Team at 416-480-5000.

• You may take off the outer dressings 48 hours after surgery.
• You may shower 48 hours after your surgery.
• If the incision is covered with paper tapes (called Steri-Strips), then leave these Steri-Strips in place for 10 days after your surgery.
• After 10 days, you can take off the Steri-Strips while you are in the shower (the water makes them easier to remove them). They may come off on their own before 10 days. This happens to many people and is not something to be worried about.
• The stitches on the wide excision incision may be rough and stick out from the skin. A dry gauze dressing may be put over the stitches until the stitches are taken out so they don't bother you.
• There may be stitches at the ends of the incision for the sentinel node biopsy.
• The stitches will be taken out by your surgeon at your follow-up appointment. Please DO NOT let other physicians remove your stitches unless authorized by your surgeon.
• A small amount of blood on the dressing or Steri-Strips is normal.

• If your doctor used blue dye to find your sentinel lymph nodes you may have some side effects.
• Some people may have an allergic reaction to the dye. This is very rare and occurs in less than 1 in a 100 patients (1 percent) who have this injection. If you get this reaction, it will happen during your surgery.
• The blue dye is absorbed into the blood stream. It leaves your body through your kidneys and urine.
• Your urine may be a blue or green colour for 24 to 48 hours after the operation. Your urine will return to a normal colour.
• The blue dye may also cause your skin to change colour, especially around the injection site. Your skin will return to its normal colour but may take several weeks to months.
• Your face or body may also look a bit blue or grey in colour from the dye. This will disappear in 24 to 48 hours.
• Drinking water will help flush out the dye through your kidneys and urine.

• Restart your regular medicine after surgery unless your surgeon has told you not to.
• If you normally take Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) or a blood thinner (such as Coumadin), ask your surgeon when you can start these medicines after surgery.
• If you have any questions about your other regular medicines, please contact your family doctor.

You may become constipated after surgery. Constipation can happen for many reasons. Certain medicines, a change in your diet and less physical activity can all lead to constipation.

• Drink a lot of fluid after your surgery.
• Use a stool softener, such as Colace, which is available at a pharmacy.
• Or, use a laxative such as Senokot, which helps the bowels to move. Take 1 to 2 Senokot tablets twice a day as needed. Senokot is available at a pharmacy.
• Eat prunes or drink prune juice.
• If these don't help, please call the nursing phone line at 416-480-5000.

• Scar massage helps to get rid of the sensitivity, tightness, and itchiness around the scar.
• It also helps to soften and loosen the scar area so that you can move your shoulder better.
• You may start scar massage 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, once the incision has healed.
• Scar massage should be done for 2 to 3 minutes 2 to 3 times a day.

• Put 2 fingers on the scar area.
• Move your fingers in an up and down zigzag pattern one way across the scar and then move your fingers in circles the other way across the scar.