Preparing For Your Liver Resection Surgery

Are you scheduled to undergo liver resection surgery? If so, it’s normal to feel anxious, nervous, and overwhelmed as liver resection is a major operation. Luckily, preparing for your liver surgery beforehand can help ease your nerves and keep your mind and body ready for the procedure.

How do you prepare for your liver resection?

Before liver resection surgery

First, it’s vital to arrange for someone to drive you home once you’re discharged from the hospital. Knowing there’s someone to take care of you after your surgery can give you peace of mind.

Second, find out about all the tests you might have before surgery and what to expect. These include blood tests, echocardiogram, MRI, CT, PET, abdominal ultrasound, and many more. Physicians perform these tests to check the function of your liver and other organs and to check for underlying problems and diseases that might cause complications during your surgery.

Ensure your surgeon knows about all the medicines you’re taking so that they can advise you accordingly. They may tell you to stop taking certain medications and eat certain foods, e.g. high-protein and low-fat foods. Your surgeon can also give you certain nutritional supplement drinks to have before surgery.

Similarly, you’ll have to stop smoking or drinking a few weeks before your operation to prevent infections and other surgery complications.

On the night before your liver resection surgery, don’t eat or drink anything after midnight.

What to expect after liver resection surgery

You’ll be taken to a room where you can rest until you’re fully awake. Avoid getting out of bed until your surgeon says it’s okay. After your liver surgery, expect to stay in the clinic for 5-10 days before you’re discharged. However, this largely depends on the scope of the operation and the size of the incision.

Liver resection recovery

Once you’re discharged, don’t go back to doing heavy chores and strenuous tasks immediately. Instead, take a rest and follow your surgeon’s recovery guidelines to give your body time to recover from the surgery. Additionally, keep up with your post-recovery clinic appointments as they allow your surgeon to assess how well you’re doing after your liver resection.

Ready for your liver resection surgery?

Liver resection surgery is a major undertaking that requires the skills, knowledge, and experience of a specialist like Birmingham HPB Clinic. We’re consultants that can treat patients with cancerous and benign liver conditions.