Care after your DeQuervain's release
Caring for your wound and surgical dressing
· Keep the surgical dressing on and dry for 3 days.
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· After 3 days, you may remove the outer surgical dressing and begin getting the wound wet in the shower once a day. After your shower, pat the wound dry and apply a new dressing.
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· After your remove the outer surgical dressing, you will see steri-strips over the wound. Leave these in place until they fall off on their own. You will not see stitches. They are buried below the skin and will absorb on their own.
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· Please keep the wound covered until it is no longer tender to the touch and is no longer oozing. Dr. Williams recommends applying an adhesive bandage and then wrapping a self-adhesive wrap (e.g. two inch 3M Coban wrap) on top of the adhesive bandage. Whatever you choose should be changed regularly and kept clean and dry. Do not apply any lotions/salves/ointments until the skin has completely healed.
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· Avoid prolonged immersion of your incision in water (such as tub baths, swimming, hot tubs, and dish washing without gloves) until the wound has sealed.
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· After the skin has healed, it will take some time for the swelling to resolve and the scar to mature. Dr. Williams recommends applying Vaseline or Aquaphor and gently massaging the scar 3-4 times a day for a few minutes at a time to aid in scar tissue breakdown.
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Activity after surgery
· Elevation above the level of your heart will help with pain and swelling. A cold pack may also help. It can be used every 1-2 hours for 20 minutes at a time. Be sure to place a thin towel between the cold pack and exposed skin so that they are not in direct contact.
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· Immediately after surgery, you can use the hand for light activities like eating, shaving, typing, and brushing your teeth. Do not lift more than 2 pounds until the wound has healed. After the wound has healed, you may progress your activity gradually according to your comfort level. Painful activity should be avoided. Pain is your body's way of telling you it is not ready yet for what you are asking of it.
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· A splint is not needed after surgery. In fact, we encourage moving the thumb, fingers and wrist during the recovery period as it will help prevent stiffness and scar tissue formation around the released tendons.
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Managing your pain after surgery
· Some discomfort is expected after surgery but with the proper pain control measures, the amount of pain you have can be greatly decreased. We recommend Tylenol and Ibuprofen so long as these medications are safe for you. If you do not know whether these medications are safe for you or if you have had a bad reaction to acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) in the past, please discuss with your primary care doctor before taking them.
· If you are able to take these medications safely, we suggest taking Tylenol and Ibuprofen regularly during daylight hours beginning as soon you get home and continuing for at least the first 2-3 days after surgery. After that point, just take these medications as needed. These medications can be taken together and work together to make each other stronger. These medications should not be taken at the same time as other medications containing acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or other NSAIDs. Please refer to the instructions on the bottle for dosing instructions.
Do NOT take more than 3,000 mg Tylenol in 24 hours
Do NOT take more than 2,400 mg of Ibuprofen in 24 hours
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Follow-up care
· You will have a follow-up appointment scheduled with Dr. Williams 10-14 days after surgery to check your healing. If you do not know when this appointment is, please call Dr. Williams’ office to find out.
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When to call your surgeon
· If you experience any fevers, chills, increasing wound drainage, pain that is not controlled, swelling that is not controlled with elevation, or problems with your dressing or wound, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please call Dr. Williams’ office.
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