How to do postoperative care for rectal cancer

The rectum is the channel through which waste is excreted from the body after digestion and absorption. Its special physiological function determines the complexity of its postoperative care. It is necessary to pay attention to changes in diet and closely observe the cleanliness of the wound. So, how should postoperative care for rectal cancer be done? I believe that many patients are very interested in this issue. Regarding this issue, let’s take a closer look at it below.

Routine care after rectal cancer surgery

1. Observe the patient's vital signs and changes in condition, as well as the bleeding, exudate and drainage of wound dressings.

2. After surgery, fasting is recommended and gastrointestinal decompression is performed until intestinal motility is restored before eating. Diet should be gradually increased.

3. Keep the drainage unobstructed and flush the drainage tube regularly as directed by the doctor.

4. Those who have a long-term urinary catheter should clean the urethral opening every day to prevent urinary tract infection.

5. Keep the skin around the stoma clean and dry.

6. Use Chinese medicine for conditioning

7. Observe the patient's bowel movement characteristics, frequency, and abdominal discomfort, including diarrhea, constipation, and intestinal obstruction.

Dietary care after rectal cancer surgery

1. Diet care: fasting for 2 to 3 days after surgery. During the fasting period, gastrointestinal decompression, intravenous fluid infusion, and antibiotics are used.

2. After rectal cancer surgery, pay attention to eating liquid food, and after recovery, eat more high-protein, high-vitamin and easily digestible foods. Avoid spicy and irritating foods. It is best to eat a light diet and avoid eating very greasy food.

3. Patients will experience intestinal dysfunction in the early stage after rectal surgery, the most common of which is diarrhea, followed by constipation. Generally, the symptoms will be significantly relieved 3 to 6 months after surgery, and no special treatment is required. For patients with frequent diarrhea, symptomatic treatment such as antidiarrhea pills can be considered.

4. The diet after intestinal resection is low in fiber, low in lactose, low in fat, and high in protein. The amount of fiber should be increased after the intestinal function is restored.

5. If diarrhea occurs after surgery, avoid foods high in lactose, including rice, bananas, applesauce, and fruit juice. People with constipation should increase the amount of fiber, eat more fruits, vegetables, grains, fruit juice, and supplement vitamin B12 after surgery.

6. After the intestinal peristalsis function is restored and the anus is exhausted, stop gastrointestinal decompression and eat a small amount of liquid food. If there is no abdominal distension, you can eat semi-liquid food. You can eat soft food for about 1 week, and you can eat ordinary food with less residue after 2 weeks. Early activities: Lie flat for 6 hours after rectal cancer surgery. If there are no contraindications, change to a semi-recumbent position and try to get out of bed and move early, which can promote the recovery of intestinal peristalsis function and prevent intestinal adhesion.

The above is the postoperative care for patients with rectal cancer. You must pay attention to a light diet to prevent reinfection, otherwise it will be detrimental to the recovery of the wound. At the same time, you must also do some auxiliary care to increase the patient's immunity. In short, give comprehensive care to allow the patient to recover as soon as possible.