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ENHANCED RECOVERY Enhanced recovery is an approach to the perioperative care of patients undergo...

Abdominal surgery The abdomen should be examined daily for excessive disten - sion, tenderness or...

Cardiovascular system Thirty per cent of patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery will have at le...

DISCHARGE OF PATIENTS Patients discharged home need a ‘discharge letter’ detailing the postoperat...

Wound dehiscence Wound dehiscence is disruption of any or all of the layers in a wound. Dehisce...

Urology Catheter patency must be checked regularly following urolog ical surgery . In patients wh...

Vascular surgery The patency of grafts and anastomoses, for example femoro popliteal bypasses an...

Wound care Within hours of the wound being surgically closed, the dead space fills up with an infla...

SURGERY-SPECIFIC COMPLICATIONS This section provides an overview of selected important complicat...

SYSTEM-SPECIFIC COMPLICATIONS Respiratory system Early detection of respiratory complications is...

Thoracic surgery Careful fluid management is important in patients undergoing a lobectomy or pneum...

Pressure sores Patients undergoing surgery for a prolonged period of time are vulnerable to the ...

Pulmonary embolus PE is not usually an immediate complication but can present in the early postop...

Renal and urinary system Acute kidney injury Renal failure occurring during the perioperative per...

POSTOPERATIVE OBSERVATIONS The patient’s vital signs (including pulse, blood pressure and pulse o...

PREHABILITATION The functional capacity of a patient can be reduced following major surgery . Th...

Plastic surgery The viability of flaps is crucial and the perfusion needs to be monitored regular...

Neck surgery Patients undergoing neck surgery , e.g. thyroid surgery , must be observed for accum...

Orthopaedic surgery Neurovascular supply to the extremity Patients who have undergone extremity s...

POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS Postoperative complications are an important cause of morbidity , mor...