After Surgery Care

• You may have a sore throat from the breathing tube that was in place during your surgery.
• You may feel sick to your stomach and tired from the medications you were given during and after your surgery. Tiredness can last up to 6 or 8 weeks.
• You will have some bruising and tenderness in the area of your operation.
• You may have numbness in your groin.
• Feelings of tightness, heaviness, tingling, burning, or more sensitivity are also common. Gently rubbing and tapping the area can help get rid of these sensations.
• Your surgeon may prescribe you medication (gabapentin) for these feelings.

Deep breathing and coughing:

• 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.

• 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.

• Keep your affected leg raised 80 percent of the time while you have your drains in to help reduce swelling. For example, put your leg on a pillow while lying in bed or sit in a reclining chair with the foot-rest elevated.
• When out of bed, walk normally. There is no need to use a cane, walker or crutches unless you did so before surgery.
• When walking upstairs, lead with the unaffected leg.
• When walking downstairs, lead with the unaffected leg.
• DO NOT use leg weights or do repetitive movements with the leg – such as bike riding or long walks – for 4 to 6 weeks.
• If you are given a tensor bandage to wear on the leg, keep this on especially during movement and walking.

• You may take off the outer dressings 48 hours after surgery.
• You will have a dressing around your drains which will be changed every 1 to 2 days.
• You may shower 48 hours after your surgery.
• If you have stitches on the groin dissection, they 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.
• The stitches and drains 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 is normal.
• You may be on antibiotic pills to prevent infection for the first 1 to 2 weeks.

• 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. This 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 things 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 better move your leg.
• You may start scar massage 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, once the incision has healed and the drains and stiches/staples are out.
• Scar massage should be done for 2 to 3 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day.
• DO NOT use any creams, oils or ointments unless instructed by your surgeon.

• 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.