Making The Most Of Your Cosmetic Procedure

If you are considering plastic surgery, chances are you will have it performed in a plastic surgery center instead of a hospital. When you have your cosmetic procedure performed in a plastic surgery center, you will not need to stay overnight in the hospital, even though you may have your surgery under general anesthesia. To make sure that you are in stable condition before you are discharged home, the staff at the surgery center will monitor your condition in the following ways.

Vital Signs

While you are in the recovery room, your vital signs such as your blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate will be frequently monitored. Any abnormalities will be promptly reported to the physician, who will assess your condition and intervene if necessary. It is not uncommon to experience spikes in blood pressure and heart rate after emerging from anesthesia after plastic surgery. These effects are usually temporary and resolve once the anesthesia is out of your system.

If your blood pressure drops too low, the doctor may order intravenous medications or additional fluids to increase your blood volume, which may help improve your blood pressure. If your heart rate rises, you may not need any treatment, as long as the heart rhythm is normal. A fast heart rate that is beating in an organized rhythm is called sinus tachycardia, and while no treatment is usually necessary, the surgical staff will closely monitor for cardiac arrhythmia. 

Gastrointestinal Function

When you awaken from general anesthesia, you may feel nauseated and may even experience episodes of vomiting, especially if you had a tummy tuck. In addition to this, your colon activity will slow down because of the paralytic effects of anesthesia. If you are vomiting, you will not be discharged until you feel better.

The nurses will offer you a light snack, such as crackers and juice, and will evaluate your condition after you have eaten your snack. In addition, your bowel sounds will be assessed to make sure that your gastrointestinal motility is normal. The doctor or nurse will listen to all four quadrants of your abdomen with a stethoscope, and if sounds such as gurgling are present, it means that your bowel function is returning to normal after your general anesthesia.

It may take a day or more before your bowel motility is back to normal. Your doctor may instruct you to drink plenty of fluids when you get home to prevent constipation that may develop as a result of both anesthesia and pain medication. 

If you are considering plastic surgery, talk to your physician about what to expect while you are in the recovery room. In addition to the above, you will also be monitored for bleeding at your surgical sites and your level of discomfort. If you had plastic surgery on your breasts or a tummy tuck, the staff will monitor the drains that the doctor inserted into the surgical areas to drain excess fluid.