Version July 2025
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What are discharge instructions? —
Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.
What is exploratory surgery? —
This is a way for doctors to see inside the belly or "abdomen." They can look at and treat the organs, muscles, and structures inside the abdomen (figure 1).
Exploratory surgery can be done in 2 ways:
●Open surgery – The doctor makes a cut, or "incision," in the skin. This lets them see directly inside the body. This is called an "exploratory laparotomy."
●Minimally invasive surgery – This lets the doctor make smaller incisions in the skin. They insert long, thin tools through the incisions. One of the tools has a camera (called a "laparoscope") on the end, which sends pictures to a TV screen. The doctor can look at the screen to see inside the body. Then, they use the long tools to do the surgery. This is called an "exploratory laparoscopy."
How long it takes for you to recover, and what you need to do, depends on which type of surgery you had. If you had minimally invasive surgery, you might be able to return to your normal activities sooner. With open surgery, it usually takes longer to recover.
How do I care for myself at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
You should also:
●Take all of your medicines as instructed.
•Take non-prescription medicines to relieve pain, such as acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol), ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve). You can take these first to reduce the need for opioid pain medicines.
•Opioid pain medicines can cause constipation. You can use a stool softener to help prevent this.
●Take care of your incision – You might have stitches, skin staples, surgical glue, or a special skin tape on your incision. If you had minimally invasive surgery, you might have more than 1 incision.
•Keep your incision dry and covered with a bandage for the first 1 to 2 days after surgery. Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to keep your incision dry.
•Once you no longer need to keep your incision dry, gently wash it with soap and water whenever you take a shower. Do not put your incision underwater, such as in a bath, pool, or lake. This can slow healing and raise your chance of getting an infection.
•After you wash your incision, pat it dry. Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to put an antibiotic ointment on the incision. They will also tell you if you need to cover your incision with a bandage or gauze.
•Always wash your hands before and after you touch your incision or bandage.
●Increase your activity slowly – Start with short walks around your home, and walk a little more each day.
•Keep coughing and doing deep breathing exercises for 7 to 10 days after you go home. This helps prevent lung infections. When you cough, sneeze, or do deep breathing exercises, press a pillow across your incision to support the wound and ease pain.
•Avoid heavy lifting, sports, and swimming for at least a week or 2. (Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to avoid these or other activities.)
●Eat when you are hungry – If you have an upset stomach, it might help to start with clear liquids and foods that are easy to digest, like soup, pudding, toast, or eggs. You can eat other types of foods when you feel ready. If your doctor or nurse gave you specific instructions about what to eat or avoid, follow them.
●Be aware that if you had minimally invasive surgery, you might have some pain in your shoulder. This is from gas that the doctor put into your belly during surgery. Walking and moving around helps reduce the gas and ease the pain.
What follow-up care do I need? —
The doctor will want to see you again after surgery to check on your progress. Go to these appointments.
If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will usually want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks. Some stitches absorb on their own and do not need to be removed. If the doctor used skin glue or skin tape, it will fall off on its own. Do not pick at it or try to remove it yourself.
When should I call the doctor? —
Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if:
●You feel short of breath or have trouble breathing.
●You have sharp or severe chest pain when you breathe.
●You are coughing up blood.
Symptoms of a heart attack can include:
●Severe chest pain, pressure, or discomfort with:
•Trouble breathing, sweating, upset stomach, or cold and clammy skin
•Pain in your arms, back, or jaw
•Worse pain with activity like walking up stairs
●Fast or irregular heartbeat
●Feeling dizzy, faint, or weak
Call for advice if:
●You have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills.
●You have redness or swelling around your incisions.
●You have nausea or vomiting for more than 2 days after going home.
Patient education: Exploratory abdominal surgery (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for a closed suction drain (The Basics)
