Weight Loss Surgery at Kettering Medical Center and Kettering Medical Center-Sycamore

By the time of your surgery, Kettering’s caring experts will already have worked closely with you to ensure you are well-informed, comfortable, and ready for the procedure you’ve chosen. When your surgery day arrives, the same caregivers you’ve come to know and trust during pre-surgery planning will be there to help you at every step of the process. Most weight loss surgery patients enjoy a similar hospital experience, and we’ve prepared the timeline below to help you know what to expect.

The Night Before Surgery:
»	Eat an evening meal of liquids only, and do not eat or drink anything after midnight (or the following morning).

»	Refrain from smoking, avoid alcohol, and try to enjoy a restful night’s sleep.

»	Make sure to pack slippers and toiletries to bring with you in the morning. Your family is welcome to bring other items for you following your surgery.

»	Do not bring jewelry, credit cards, or other valuables with you. Do not bring medication with you, but please provide a list of your medications, doses, and schedule.

The Morning of Your Surgery:
»	Be sure to arrive on time for your scheduled check-in.

»	You will be invited to a surgical waiting area, where you should remove any jewelry, glasses, contact lenses, dentures, partials, hearing aids, etc., and change into a hospital gown.

»	Your anesthesiologist will start an IV for you with a blood thinner to help prevent clots in the legs, antibiotics to reduce the chance of infection, and pre-surgery sedatives.

»	You will have Sequential Compression Devices (SCDs) on your legs to help maintain circulation and prevent blood clots. These will remain with you during your post-surgery recovery until you are able to walk 10 laps.

»	You are welcome to have company until your surgery, and then visitors will be given a beeper that will go off anywhere in the hospital when your surgery is finished.

Your Surgery:
»	You will be transported in complete comfort via air flotation mattress to the surgery table.

»	Your anesthesiologist will arrange your oxygen mask, additional sedatives through your IV, and a special breathing tube that will keep your airway open. The oxygen may smell faintly of oranges or another scent, and the breathing tube will be removed following surgery.

»	Your surgery area will be shaved and cleaned with betadine gel.

»	You may also receive a Foley catheter, which will be removed sometime following surgery (usually the second day).

»	Your surgery will likely last 2-4 hours, but it may run longer.

Post-Surgery:
»	Following surgery, you will be taken to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) or the Intensive Care Unit, depending on your immediate needs.

»	Your condition and vital signs will be checked frequently, usually every ten minutes for the first hour, every half hour for an hour, and then hourly for the next four hours.

»	You will be asked to rate your pain on a scale of 1-10, and you can request medicine for pain and/or nausea.

»	You may have a nasal tube to supply oxygen, as well as a paper monitor on your finger connected to a pulse oximeter (to measure your heart rate and the room oxygen level).

»	You may also have a small Jackson-Pratt (J-P) tube in your right side to help drain fluid from the surgery area. This will be removed before you leave the hospital, but you will need to keep a bandage over the tube site and may notice slight leakage for a time.

»	Finally, you may have a G-Tube or J-tube in your left side to allow for drainage, feeding, and to give liquids or medicine. These tubes may remain in place for up to two weeks after surgery.

»	Your incision will either be closed with surgical staples and covered by a dressing or simply closed with surgical glue (no dressing). A binder will go over the incision/dressing to stabilize your abdomen.

»	You will need to cough, breathe deeply, and turn from side to side regularly to avoid post-surgery complications.

»	After a few hours, you will return to your room for further recovery.

Recovery in the Center:
»	You will have a Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) pump, which will allow you to give yourself pain medication with the press of a button (up to one dose every ten minutes). You can expect some post-surgery pain, especially when walking, coughing, or breathing deeply, but the PCA will help you control the pain while regaining your strength.

»	An IV will keep you hydrated, but it is important to progress to ice chips (the day of surgery) and clear liquids (the day after surgery, once you are able to pass gas) as possible without causing pain, nausea, or vomiting.

»	Drinking liquids, walking, and increasing activity can help reduce constipation and gas pain following surgery.

»	You will need to stand and walk soon after surgery, as this will help you heal and regain strength. The recommended distance and frequency will increase each day.

»	On the second day after surgery, you will likely be allowed to shower, with or without a dressing on your incision and a binder for abdominal support. NOTE: Redness or drainage around your incision is NOT normal.

»	We ask patients not to weigh themselves during post-surgery recovery, as weight gain is possible due to fluid buildup and temporary hormonal changes. Even with surgery, weight loss takes time, as your body will be adjusting to radical changes. Please try to be patient and keep realistic expectations.

»	Your emotional and spiritual needs are just as important as your physical condition during this time of great change, so please don’t hesitate to bring up concerns, fears, and other issues with your doctors, nurses, or our pastoral staff.

Going Home!
»	You will likely be released from the hospital after five days, but a complete recovery can take several weeks. Please be patient with your progress, rest often to combat fatigue, and be aware of what to expect after surgery.

»	Take medication on schedule, including a multivitamin with iron and calcium. You may be advised to modify normal medications, including changing pill sizes, crushing or cutting larger pills, or changing delivery methods (e.g., switching to a birth control patch).

»	Be sure to drink at least 64 ounces of fluids each day. Focus on water and sugar-free drinks, but avoid carbonated beverages.

»	Try to be active. Walking is encouraged, and light housework is allowed, but be careful climbing stairs, and do not lift more than 8-10 pounds for two months following surgery.

»	Patients can return to work within 3-6 weeks, depending on job requirements, and driving is allowed once they are off pain medication and can wear a seatbelt and make sudden movements without pain.

»	You may have redness, bruising, or light yellow or red leakage around your incision, along with some pain. This is not normal, please call the center if pain seems excessive or drainage is thick and yellow, cloudy, or foul-smelling.

»	If you have a G- or J-Tube, you will need to drain it 2-3 times per day for 10 minutes. Redness or yellow/greenish discharge around the tube are normal, but call the center if redness or tube drainage is extensive.

»	You should also call in case of increased anxiety, confusion, depression, or pain (especially in the shoulder, neck, abdomen, or chest). Shortness of breath, fevers higher than 101 degrees, pulse over 120, or signs of bladder infection such as painful, bloody, difficult, or frequent/infrequent urination are also cause to call the center.