Enhanced Recovery Programme How to Recover Quickly from Major Colorectal Surgery Page 20 Patient Information Page 2 Page 19 INTRODUCTON We look forward to welcoming you to Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals for your operation. Our mission is for you to come into hospital as strong as possible, ready for your surgery, and to make a quick recovery. In order to achieve this, we will use an Enhanced Recovery Programme to optimise your nutrition, mobility and pain relief around the time of the operation. There is strong evidence that by following an Enhanced Recovery Programme you will recover faster from your operation, with fewer complications. Enhanced Recovery involves staff caring for you, (anaesthetists, nurses, dieticians, physiotherapists and surgeons) helping you to follow a clearly defined programme and most importantly requires your participation to make it work. Together we will use as many parts of the programme that are suitable for you to achieve the best recovery. The key parts are: Further Information We endeavour to provide an excellent service at all times, but should you have any concerns please, in the first instance, raise these with the Matron, Senior Nurse or Manager on duty. If they cannot resolve your concern, please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 01932 723553 or email [email protected]. If you remain concerned, PALS can also advise upon how to make a formal complaint. Author: Mr J Trickett Department: Colorectal Surgery Version: 2 Published: Sept 2012 Page 18 Review: Sept 2014 • Having nutritional high energy drinks before and soon after your operation leading to early return to a normal diet. • Having good pain relief. • Getting out of bed and having assistance to walk, soon after your operation. • Getting home as soon as possible. Your Consultant should have already discussed this with you, or you should ask how long you will be in hospital at pre-assessment. Page 3 ADMISSION PREPARATION • It is important for you to be thinking about planning your discharge, before you go into hospital. You can prepare by arranging help and support before you come in such as: • Make sure you know who can come and collect you from hospital, please bring their contact details with you. • • • • • • Ask friends and relatives if they can come to stay or visit to help around the house when you get home. • • Arrange for a friend or relative to do some shopping for your or make extra portions of food to freeze, or purchase ready meals and convenience foods that you can freeze for use in the first couple of weeks. • Get up to date on your housework before you come into hospital, this will help reduce the load when you get home. • Arrange additional childcare or help with the school runs where necessary. • Arrange care for your pets, if necessary If you have any requirements that need to be put in place before you go home, or any concerns or queries, please talk to your clinical nurse specialist, key worker, pre-assessment nurse or doctor before you come into hospital. Page 4 Cakes, puddings made with white flour and that are nut and fruit free Jelly ice-cream, milk puddings, custard, sorbet Honey, sugar, syrup, ‘jelly’ type jams Tomato ketchup, brown sauce, mayonnaise Salt, pepper, herbs, spices Boiled sweets, chocolate, toffee and fudge without nuts or fruit Tea, coffee, fruit squash, smooth fruit juice (orange, apple or grape) fizzy drinks, hot chocolate or malted milk drinks, Bovril, Marmite Free fluids / meals in liquid form • Omit all solid food and take your meals in liquid form • Includes thick soups without solid bits (clear soups, Consommé, Bovril, Marmite), milk based puddings, custard, ice cream, jelly, yoghurt. • Boiled sweets, pastilles & peppermints are allowed. • Drinks, tea & coffee (milk & sugar allowed), smooth fruit juices, squash and milky drinks (Horlicks, Ovaltine, drinking chocolate). Clear fluids • Water / plain or flavoured • Clear soups, Bovril, Oxo & Marmite (dissolved in hot water), • Squashes without added fruit juice, black tea or coffee, boiled sweets, pastilles Page 17 DIET INFORMATION BEFORE YOUR OPERATION Low fibre diet Getting fit for surgery: Bread, other cereals and potatoes • White bread, white chapatti, white pitta and white flour • White pasta, White rice • Refined cereals e.g. Rice Krispies, Cornflakes • Cream crackers, rice cakes • Boiled, mashed or roast potatoes (no skin) Yams, sweet potato (no skin) Anaemia: We will check you blood count prior to your operation. If we find that you are anaemic (low in red blood cells) we may organize for you to have a blood transfusion or see your GP to start on oral iron tablets to help produce more blood cells before your operation. Fruit and vegetables • Fresh, tinned or stewed fruit but remove any skin, pith or pips • Vegetables but remove any skins, stalks or seeds Alcohol: You should reduce alcohol consumption prior to your operation. Ideally you should not have any alcohol up to 1 week prior to your operation. Pulses and nuts • None Meat, fish and eggs • Meat, poultry • Fish Milk and dairy products • Milk, cream • Plain or fruit yoghurts • Cheese, butter Smoking: If you are a smoker you are strongly advised to stop smoking prior to your operation. Exercise: It is important that you are as physically fit as possible prior to your operation. If you are a person who regularly exercises, just continue your current exercise plan. If you undertake regular walks with a dog or friend continue, and try to walk for longer, faster and more often. If you are limited in the type and / or amount of exercise you are able to do, use daily activities as a mode of exercise e.g. increase the number of times your climb stairs etc. Please ensure you take some form of daily exercise such as walking or light gym practice/swimming. Fats • Margarine, oils Others • Plain biscuits e.g. Rich Tea, Morning Coffee Page 16 Page 5 Eating and Drinking It is important that you are well nourished and not unintentionally losing weight before your operation. This will assist the healing of your wounds and reduce the risk of infection as well as improving your general recovery. You will need to follow a specific diet and schedule of nutritional high energy drinks and prepare your bowel for surgery. We will see you in an assessment clinic approximately 2 weeks before your operation. You will be prescribed nutritional high energy drinks, which will need to be taken the day prior to and on your day of surgery. This drink is called a preload and is a key aspect of your Enhanced Recovery Programme. These drinks have several benefits to your recovery. They will: • Give you energy to help you recover • Reduce the risk of nausea (sickness) • Help your wounds heal • Reduce the risk of infection • Generally aid your recovery Preload – Preparation Guidelines Step 1 – Pour 400ml of water into cup Step 2 – Add the contents of the sachet/s of preload into the cup and stir Six to eight weeks after your operation you should be back to your normal level of activity. Do not undertake any heavy lifting until six weeks following surgery and avoid standing for long periods of time. Common sense will guide your exercise and rehabilitation. If your wound is uncomfortable go easy with your exercise. Once your wound is pain free, you can undertake most activities. Work You should be able to return to work four to six weeks after your surgery depending on the type of job you do. A member of your health care team or your GP will be able to advise you. Driving You should not drive until you are confident that you can drive safely. A good indicator for this is when you have got back to most of your normal activities. Usually this will be within two to four weeks of surgery. It is important that any pain has resolved sufficiently to enable you to perform an emergency stop and turn the wheel quickly. If you have any problems after you go home please contact: Lynn de Snoo Carol Katte Sally Tyte Colorectal nurse Stoma care nurse Stoma care nurse 01932 723245 01932 722636 01932 722636 You should expect to have a call from our team within 24 hours of discharge. Step 3 – Drink as directed below Page 6 Page 15 if you are worried about any of the following please phone the telephone numbers on this leaflet (page 15) If you cannot contact the people listed then ring your GP, or the ward direct. When should I take the preload? Following discharge from hospital, after surgery it is normal to experience some abdominal discomfort from the wound. This will gradually improve over several weeks. You should continue taking the pain relieving drugs, which have been prescribed for you at the hospital, until you feel comfortable. If you need further supplies or your pain is not adequately controlled you should see your GP. By 9pm: 2 sachets of preload in 400ml of water Your Wound If your surgery is scheduled for the afternoon have nothing except a small amount of water and your carbohydrate drink up to 2 hours before your operation – 1 sachet of preload in 400mls water to be finished by 10.30am. It is not unusual for your wound to be slightly red and uncomfortable during the first 1-2 weeks. Please let us know if your wound is: • Becoming inflamed, painful or swollen • Starting to discharge fluid Bowels Evening before surgery Day of Surgery If your surgery is scheduled for the morning you should have nothing to eat after midnight, but you may have a small amount of water and your carbohydrate drink, up to 2 hours before your operation – 1 sachet of preload in 400mls water to be finished by 6am. YOUR OPERATION Your bowel habit may change after part of your bowel is removed. You will be informed before you are discharged of what to expect. We will discuss with you the sort of operation you require. This will determine which of two ways we prepare your bowel for surgery and if you require a stoma bag. Returning to Normal Activities You will be given the right sort of instructions tailored to your particular operation. For the first two weeks at home you should rest, relax and continue the exercises that you did in hospital. Go for a walk each day and gradually increase the amount you are doing. Regular exercise combined with regular rest periods should help you to return to normal activities as soon as possible. If you need a stoma bag, a specialist stoma nurse will help you by explaining what is involved and familiarising you with the bags and general care before your operation. Page 14 Page 7 GUIDELINES FOR PATIENTS HAVING FULL BOWEL PREPARATION FOR SURGERY single injection in your back at the time of surgery (spinal). In addition, you will be given other pain relief by mouth as required. Four days before operation: Avoid foods that are high in fibre; (brown rice, cereals, vegetables), choose low fibre alternatives instead. Tubes and Drips Three days before operation (fluids only): Omit all solid food and take your meals in liquid form. NB: See pages 16 & 17 for further details on diet and free fluids Two days before operation (clear fluids and nutritional supplement drinks only). • Aim to drink 2-3 glasses of clear liquid every 2 hours during the day; e.g. water based drinks, squash, no milk, no fruit juice. • Please take one sachet of bowel prep at 08.00 hours. This needs to be dissolved in one cup of water, stirred for 2-3 minutes and then drunk (please take care as the cup may get hot). NB: This medication will clear your bowels so you will need to be close to a toilet. • At 14.00 hours please take the second sachet of bowel prep as instructed. • Please drink 2 Fortisips 200ml cartons (1 in the afternoon and 1 in the evening). During your surgery a tube (catheter) will be placed in your bladder so that we can check that your kidneys are working well and producing urine. This will be removed as soon as possible, usually within 48 hours after your surgery. You will have a drip put into your arm and fluid will be given through this to ensure you get enough fluid and do not become dehydrated. This should be removed once you are drinking. Occasionally, following surgery you may have a wound drain; this is a plastic tube coming from your wound into a bottle or bag to remove any excess fluid from your wound site. Depending on the fluid in the bag these drains tend to be removed within the first 24-48 hours after your operation. Your participation in your recovery is extremely important, and will help to reduce the chance of complications (such as infections and blood clots in your legs) and will help your bowel function return and get you home sooner. Important Discharge Information Our aim is to discharge you from hospital after 3/4 days for colon operations and after 5 days for more complicated pelvic / rectal surgery. When You Leave Hospital Complications do not happen very often but it is important you know what to look out for. During the first two weeks after surgery Page 8 Page 13 First day after operation: Aim to drink 2 litres of fluid including cartons of Fortisips and, with the aid of the nurses and physiotherapists, participate in your walking programme. If you feel hungry start a soft diet. If you are mobile and have not had pelvic / rectal surgery we may remove your urinary catheter NB: Please note that whilst Fortisips are not a clear fluid, the benefits of taking them outweigh the need to have a totally clear fluid diet before surgery. One day before operation: Second and subsequent days after operation: Continue to drink 2 litres of fluid and, if you can manage it, start a normal diet. We also want you to continue walking about as much as possible. We will start to remove catheters and drips to help “free you up” to walk. • Continue to drink plenty of clear fluids all day. • Please drink 4 cartons of the Fortisips throughout the day (total 800ml). • On the evening before your operation drink 2 dissolved 50g sachets of your Preload. Sickness • If you are admitted to hospital the day before your operation, please bring the Fortisips with you. Sometimes after surgery a person may feel sick or be sick. This is usually caused by the anaesthetic agents or drugs we use. You will be given medication during surgery to reduce this, but if you feel sick following surgery, please speak to your nurse who will be able to provide medication to help you. It is important to relieve sickness in order to allow you to feel better so that you can eat and drink normally which will aid your recovery. Pain Control It is important that your pain is controlled; you will not be pain free but should be comfortable so that you can walk about, breathe deeply, cough, eat and drink, feel relaxed and sleep well. You will receive a number of different medications to control your discomfort. You may have an injection in your back (epidural) which allows a continuous supply of pain relieving medicine by infusion or alternatively a PCA (Patient Controlled Analgesia), which allows you to control the amount of pain medication that you receive via a machine. Alternatively you may be given a Page 12 Day of operation: • Drink 1 dissolved 50g sachet of Preload 2-3 hours before the scheduled operation time. • If your operation is scheduled for the afternoon, drink 2 sachets of Preload during the morning. NB: You are allowed water up to 4 hours before the operation. (Approx 1 glass water per hour). It is important you do not become dehydrated. Page 9 GUIDELINES FOR PATIENTS HAVING AN ENEMA TO PREPARE THEIR BOWELS FOR SURGERY The nursing staff on the admission ward will explain and administer the enemas when they are required Two days before operation: Avoid foods that are high in fibre, (brown rice, cereals, vegetables), choose low fibre alternatives instead. (Please see section on pages 16 & 17 for further advice). • Please drink 2 Fortisips 200ml cartons (1 in the afternoon and 1 in the evening). GUIDELINES FOR ALL PATIENTS AFTER SURGERY On the day of your operation • When you wake up after your operation it is important you start deep breathing exercises. Breathe in through your nose and slowly our through your mouth. This should be done at least five times an hour and this should reduce the risk of a chest infection. If you need to cough use your hands or a pillow to support your wound as this should make coughing more comfortable. It is important that you do not try to stop your self coughing if you feel you need to. It is also important to point your feet up and down and circle your ankles to reduce the risk of clots in your legs. • 1 carton of Fortisips (200ml) should be consumed every 6 hours. • Once you have been back from surgery the staff will help you out of bed and you will be encouraged to spend time sitting out of bed in a chair. On the following days you will be expected to sit out for at least four hours and your will also be encouraged to walk 3-4 times a day. • Being out of bed in a more upright position and by walking regularly improves lung function and there is less chance of chest infection as more oxygen is carried around the body to the tissues. Try and wear your day ‘comfortable ‘clothes after your surgery as this can help you feel positive about your recovery. One day before operation (fluids and nutritional supplements only). • Continue to drink plenty of fluids all day. • If you are admitted to hospital the day before the operation, please bring the Fortisips with you. • On the evening before the operation drink 2 dissolved 50g sachets of Preload. Day of operation: • Drink 1 dissolved 50g sachet of Preload 2-3 hours before the scheduled operation time. • If your operation is scheduled for the afternoon, drink 2 sachets of preload during the morning. NB: You are allowed water up to 4 hours before the operation. (Approx 1 glass water per hour). It is important you do not become dehydrated. Page 10 Page 11
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