You will be admitted to hospital the day before the operation. While in hospital, you will be looked after by a team of doctors and nurses.

In the evening before the surgery, the anaesthetist will check on you to ensure that you are fit for anaesthesia. The type of anaesthesia will also be discussed with you.

For surgery on the colon or rectum, your bowel will need to be cleansed. Medication will be given to you to make you move your bowels. You will only be allowed to take liquids during this period.

For surgery on the anus such as piles, abscess or fistula, you may be given an enema to clear the lower part of your intestines.

You will not be allowed to take anything after midnight. (not even a cup of water). This is to prevent vomiting during surgery, which can be life-threatening.

If necessary, your abdomen and pubic area will be shaved free of hair. This is to avoid contamination of the wound with hair during the operation.

Valuables and personal items should be left at home. You are advised not to keep more than ten dollars in your locker.

It is advisable for you to have a shower on the morning of your surgery. It is difficult to know the exact time of your operation because it depends on the progress of other operations going on in the operating theatre. Shortly before the estimated time of your operation, the nurses will instruct you to empty your bladder in the toilet. Dentures will have to be removed and kept in a container provided.

If you have any personal items, which require safekeeping, please inform your nurse.
You may have been given medication in the form of tablets or an injection to help you relax. This medication can make you sleepy or cause dryness of your mouth.
A nurse or a health attendant will bring you to the operating theater on a trolley.
Once in the operating theater, the operating theater nurse will verify and confirmed your identity and type of surgery you will undergo.

The anaesthetist will either put you to sleep or give you an injection so that you do not feel any pain at all.

You will be brought back to your ward. Usually, you will be given some drinks, and when you feel better, food will be served.

The nurses will check your blood pressure and pulse closely for the first few hours until you have fully recovered from the anaesthesia.

Medication will be given to you for pain relief as well as to help recover from the operation.

Some patients will be allowed to go home the same evening of the operation.

After an abdominal surgery, you will be transferred to the high dependency care [H. D.C.] area. You will be monitored closely and cared for by a team of doctors and nurses.

H. DC is a place where you can expect a great deal of activity during the day and night. You will be surrounded by monitors and other equipment. The nurses caring for you will explain the equipment and answer any questions you may have.

The nurses in H. DC will be monitoring your blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate.

They may ask you to perform deep breathing and coughing exercises which are important after your surgery. This helps to inflate your lungs and cough out secretions collected in your airways during surgery. This will prevent any chest infection from occurring.

Another exercise that will help in your recovery is to move your feet and legs while lying in bed. Wriggle your toes and move your feet up and down. Do this a few times every hour will help to improve the blood circulation in your leg, thus preventing blood clotting in the veins. An injection may also be given to you to help prevent blood clots from forming.

You will be nursed in H. DC for approximately two to three days after surgery. It may be longer or shorter depending on the rate of your progress.

Medication will be given to you to relieve any pain and discomfort, which you may feel. This may be given as intramuscular injections or through your intravenous drip. Sometimes a Patient Controlled Analgesia device [PCA] may be provided for you. This allows you to control the amount of painkillers that you can receive, by a hand held control. Let your nurses know if you are still feeling pain.

Another method is known as epidural anesthesia where medication is given through a fine tube inserted into your back.

You may have a fine tube coming out from your nose. This tube leads into your stomach to empty gastric secretions and air. This will be removed when your bowels start to move and abdomen is no longer distended.

You may also have a urinary catheter that leads into your bladder. Urine will be passing through this tube which is attached to a bag. It will be removed once you are well enough to attend to your own toilet needs.

A tube may also be coming out from your abdomen. These are to allow any blood or fluid collection inside to drain out.

A tube may also be coming out through your anus. This helps to prevent the large intestines from being distended and stressing on the operation site.

As patients in H.D.C needs rest, visitors are restricted and only two persons at a time will be allowed to see you.

Once you're transferred to the general ward, the family members may visit you during the usual visiting hours, which are 12 noon to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

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