Hernia – Belly Button or Umbilical – Discharge Instructions

  1. Home
  2. For Parents
  3. Discharge Instructions
  4. Hernia - Belly Button or Umbilical - Discharge Instructions

Discharge Instructions For Parents of Children after Belly Button or Umbilical Hernia Repair

COMMON OCCURRENCES:

  • Bruising around incision.
  • Difficulty in moving about and standing up straight.
  • Moderate pain.

CALL PHYSICIAN IF:

  • Unable to urinate for 8 hours after surgery.
  • Unable to tolerate liquids without vomiting.
  • Dressing becomes saturated with blood or the bleeding continues.
  • Fever over 101.5°F.
  • No relief of pain with medication.
  • Unable to have a bowel movement after several days. The prescription pain medication can cause constipation. Discontinue prescription pain medication and switch to plain Tylenol or ibuprofen. Also try increasing water intake, drinking prune juice, eating raisins, prunes or using over the counter glycerin suppositories.
  • Severe nausea and/or vomiting.

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Give pain medication as prescribed by your doctor.
  2. Children may play and run when your child feels ready. Patients usually return to school within a few days. They can return to school when they no longer need prescription pain medication.
  3. Start with a clear liquid diet. If this is well tolerated you may restart their regular diet. Nausea and vomiting may occur after anesthesia. If this happens, hold feeding for 1 to 2 hours, then begin with clear liquids again.
  4. Keep wound dry and intact for 48 hours. You may remove the outer gauze (if present) in 48 hours. Please leave the piece of tape (steri-strip) in place. It will come off on its own, or if it is still on at the time of your post-op visit, the doctor will then remove it.
  5. May bathe in 48 hours. NO swimming in pool or a natural body of water for 5 days.
  6. You will need to call the surgeon’s office at 602-254-5561 the day after surgery to make a postoperative appointment for 2 weeks after the date of surgery (hours are 9am to 5pm).
  7. If a release for school is needed for the patients return, please call the surgeon’s office and leave a message on the nurse’s line with the school’s fax number. Patient may return to school prior to the 2 week post operative appointment but with restrictions (no PE) until after the follow up visit.