Things to note after tongue cancer surgery

If tongue cancer is discovered late or has reached an advanced stage, then the most common method is surgery. After the patient has undergone tongue cancer surgery, postoperative care cannot be ignored and there are many precautions. So, after tongue cancer surgery, how do we, as family members, take care of the patient and what precautions should be taken during the care process?

Below, we introduce the precautions that need to be taken after tongue cancer surgery:

1. Lie flat without pillow, tilt the head to the healthy side, and apply brake to the neck to prevent pulling the vascular pedicle of the pectoralis major muscle. 24 hours after surgery, the patient can sit in a semi-recumbent position, pat the back, and turn over frequently to prevent the occurrence of hypostatic pneumonia and bedsores, and keep the room temperature at 22-25℃.

2. Closely observe the changes in vital signs, especially breathing, to keep the airway open. If there is a tracheotomy, pay attention to timely suction of sputum to prevent obstruction and suffocation. Take good care of the tracheal cannula and give α-chymotrypsin + chloramphenicol eye drops cannula q2h. Ultrasonic nebulization inhalation therapy and back patting are conducive to expectoration of sputum. Instruct patients to expectorate effectively.

3. Observe whether the drainage tube is unobstructed to prevent it from falling off, twisting, or leaking. Record the color, quality, and quantity of the drainage fluid, and report any abnormality to the doctor immediately.

4. Observe the survival of the flap after surgery and measure the temperature with a skin thermometer. If the flap is pale and the skin temperature is lower than 2-3 degrees 72 hours after surgery, it means insufficient arterial blood supply. If the flap is dark red and the skin temperature is lower than 3-5 degrees, it is mostly venous reflux obstruction. Report to the doctor and give 500ml of low-molecular dextran or compound danshen solution intravenously to dilate blood vessels and improve blood supply to the flap.

5. After treatment, the patient still needs to continue to be observed and the oral cavity needs to be cleaned until the wound is completely healed. Eating more is encouraged.

6. Provide discharge instructions, including self-examination knowledge and the importance of regular examinations.

After tongue cancer surgery, you should also pay attention to your diet:

1. It is generally difficult to eat in the early stage after surgery. You can eat mainly liquid or semi-liquid food, and then slowly transition to normal meals. You can drink more milk, eat more dairy products and soy products, eat more lotus root powder, fresh fruits, fish, eggs, beef, etc., to supplement fat, protein and vitamins, promote nutrition, strengthen physical fitness and improve immunity.

2. Eat fresh, easily digestible foods rich in high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals. Fresh vegetables and fruits are a must for every meal. Eat more foods that have certain anti-cancer effects, such as cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, asparagus, beans, mushrooms, sea cucumbers, sharks, etc.

3. Choose foods that have the effect of softening and dispersing lumps: jellyfish, seaweed, mussels, sea cucumber, abalone, cuttlefish, kelp, turtle, red bean, radish, shepherd's purse, water chestnut, shiitake mushroom, etc. However, these foods are greasy and easy to hurt the spleen and stomach. Eat less when you have poor appetite or fever.

4. Choose different foods for different body types. People with weak spleen and stomach and insufficient qi can eat pigeon, quail, eggs, jujube, longan, ginger, garlic, etc.