What happens right after the procedure?

After surgery, the person will go to a surgery recovery room for a few hours. In the recovery room, the person's blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate are monitored. The person will also be watched for any problems with bleeding or any allergic reactions to the anesthesia. A short hospital stay is usually needed.

The person is slowly allowed to eat. An intravenous line, or IV, is usually left in a vein in the arm or hand to give fluids so the person doesn't get dehydrated. The IV will usually be left in place at least 24 hours. It is taken out when the person is able to eat and any pain is under control. Pain medication can be given into the IV line or injected into muscle. A person may also be given antibiotics to lower the risk of infection.

There are usually a few tubes that are left near the incision to drain fluids and blood from the site. These tubes can be removed once the draining stops. A nasogastric tube may also be in place to drain fluids from the stomach, which is called gastric suction. Oxygen is given if needed. If the person who had surgery is not an infant, deep breathing is advised to lower the risk of pneumonia. The person will also be encouraged to walk. This lowers the risk of blood clots. The person will be in the hospital usually 3 to 7 days.