Weight Loss Surgery FAQs | Boston Medical Center
As long as it takes to be self-sufficient. Although it can vary, the hospital stay for all procedures (including the day of surgery) is typically 2-3 days.
For most surgeries, you will only have an IV placed for fluids. It is not typical for drains or catheters to be placed after bariatric surgery.
After surgery, you will be taken to the recovery room. You will spend a few hours there as you wake up from the general anesthesia. You will then be moved to your room where your family can see you. During the first night you will be connected to a continuous oxygen saturation monitor. Obesity, general anesthesia, and preexisting lung conditions (asthma, sleep apnea) make it likely that you will need oxygen the first night to keep your saturation above 90%. The night of surgery you will be asked to walk. This is very important to help prevent blood clots in your legs from forming. This condition is called a deep venous thrombosis or DVT. Wearing the lower leg compression devices while in bed also prevents DVTs.
It is normal to feel uncomfortable during the first few days after surgery, but each day you will feel stronger and more active. You will be given pain medication to ease your discomfort. Your nurse will teach you how to use your PCA (patient controlled analgesia) pump. This allows you to give yourself pain medication through your IV as needed. There is no danger of overdosing, and it allows you to control the pain yourself.
Your mouth might feel dry the first 24 hours after surgery. This is usually due to the medication administered during anesthesia. You will be allowed to swab your mouth, but not to drink anything until the first day after surgery.
While you are in the hospital, your surgeon, surgical residents, and nurses will provide your medical care. You might be assigned nursing or medical students as well. Your surgeon will visit you daily, so have questions ready. You will be visited by a dietitian while in the hospital. They will provide a written quiz, which you will be asked to complete. It is a good idea to involve family members in learning about the diet after surgery.