Tubal Reversal: Pre & Post-Op Care

Anyone living within a two hour radius of our Tampa Bay location must schedule a consultation prior to surgery. Another adult must accompany you on the day of surgery. Patients travelling to us from outside the area will consult with the physician on the day of surgery, typically arrive on the Thursday prior to surgery and may return Saturday and thereafter.

What to expect the day of your tubal reversal

At the Surgery Center, you will speak with the physician and be escorted to the operating room. In the operating room you will be comfortably placed under general anesthesia. A small incision (typically 2-3 inches in width) will be made just above the pubic bone. The uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes will be identified and inspected. Self retaining retractors are not used to avoid tissue trauma.

Each fallopian tube will be inspected and measured. The occluded or scarred portions of the fallopian tube, both distally and proximally, will be removed to expose the fresh, newly opened lumens of the tube. Using optic magnification and the principles of microsurgical technique, these opened tubal segments are gently brought together using very fine, delicate sutures (thinner than a human hair). Throughout the surgical procedure, the pelvic organs are constantly irrigated with a heparinized solution to prevent tissue drying and scar formation.

Finally, the skin incision is closed and injected with a long lasting local anesthetic. You are awakened and taken to the recovery room. You are usually observed for two hours prior to being discharged.

Risks associated with surgery include injury to the bowel, bladder or a blood vessel. There is the possibility of infection or complications associated with anesthesia. The risks and benefits of surgery are outlined in your surgical consents and the nurse and physician will go over this information with you and answer any questions you may have.

Pre-Op Instructions

Pre-operative labs must be completed seven (7) days before your scheduled surgery date.

You do not need to fast. The nurse will phone if your results are not within normal limits.

DO NOT eat or drink anything after midnight the day prior to your surgery.

This includes: food, water, beverages, candy and chewing gum.

Your surgery may be cancelled if you eat or drink past midnight.

DO NOT take any aspirin, diet pills, herbal supplements or vitamins or any over-the-counter pain reliever other than Tylenol.

Your surgery may be cancelled if any of the above listed medications are taken.

Check with your primary care physician for instructions on what medications are okay before surgery.

A urine drug screen may be included in your pre-operative laboratory evaluation.

Your surgery may be cancelled if there is a positive test.

If you have any questions about any of these instructions or your surgery, please contact the office at (727) 796-7705 and ask to speak with the nurse.

Pre-Op Instructions

Pre-operative labs must be completed seven (7) days before your scheduled surgery date.

You do not need to fast. The nurse will phone if your results are not within normal limits.

DO NOT eat or drink anything after midnight the day prior to your surgery.

This includes: food, water, beverages, candy and chewing gum.

Your surgery may be cancelled if you eat or drink past midnight.

DO NOT take any aspirin, diet pills, herbal supplements or vitamins or any over-the-counter pain reliever other than Tylenol.

Your surgery may be cancelled if any of the above listed medications are taken.

Check with your primary care physician for instructions on what medications are okay before surgery.

A urine drug screen may be included in your pre-operative laboratory evaluation.

Your surgery may be cancelled if there is a positive test.

If you have any questions about any of these instructions or your surgery, please

contact the office at (727) 796-7705 and ask to speak with the nurse.

Post-Op Instructions

PAIN

You will receive a prescription for pain medication the day of surgery.
A long-lasting local anesthetic will be injected into the tissue below your incision to assist in pain relief.

This may make the area feel numb for a few days.

Significant pain/discomfort will last for 2 – 3 days and should improve. Moderate pain may last up to two weeks.

FOOD

The evening of surgery only a clear liquid diet is recommended such as water, juice, soup.

Avoid dairy products: no milk shakes or cream soups.

The day after surgery you may resume a normal diet.

INCISION

Leave the bandage on the incision for 2 days. Keep the incision area dry to prevent infection.

Upon removing the bandage you will note steri-strips across the incision. Do not remove the steri-strips.

Remove the steri-strips one week after the surgery.

At this time apply vitamin E (oil, lotion, gel) to the incision for 2 to 4 weeks.

The suture is under the skin and will dissolve on its own. This may take several weeks.
If the incision pulls apart, please call our office and speak with the nurse.

This may occur more commonly in overweight individuals or in women who have had several abdominal surgeries such as c-sections.

When the bandage is removed (post-op day 2) you may shower. Pat dry after shower and keep as dry as possible.

We recommend no bathing or submerging in water for 2 weeks.

No lifting of over 10 lbs for 4 weeks following the surgery.
It is generally 5-7 days before returning to light activity.

AFTER CARE

The week after surgery, local patients will be seen in office for a post-op visit. Our nurse will call any patient living outside our area and review your surgical outcome.

It is important you establish with a high-risk OBGYN and be seen at the first sign of pregnancy.

A copy of your surgery report will be mailed to you within two weeks of your surgery. You will receive a copy for your personal records and one to provide to the high-risk provider you select.

Please remember you are at an increased risk of tubal (ectopic) pregnancy and need to be seen at the first sign of pregnancy.

A catheter is placed in the bladder during the surgical procedure; therefore, it is common to experience burning with urination following the surgery.

This should improve within a week after the surgery.

If you develop a fever of over 100.5, take fluids and Tylenol. If the fever persists, contact our office.

Wait a minimum of 4-6 weeks before resuming sexual activity, then use condoms or birth control until after your 3rd menses (period) from surgery date.

Example) Surgery Date: September = Resume sexual activity: After menses (period) in December

EMERGENCY PHONE# 727-796-7705