Placement of Male Sling
POST-OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
Activities
►Patients who have had a male sling placed have one extremely critical limitation on their activity for 6 weeks. You should not squat down with your legs spread. High stepping like getting into a high truck or climbing a ladder should also not be done. Again, this is extremely critical. The squatting motion could cause the sling to loosen. There is no solution for a loosened sling other than another surgical procedure. Please avoid squatting at all cost!
►Beginning the day you return home, you may climb stairs and move about your home for meals, go to the bathroom or to watch television. The most important thing one can do to minimize swelling and post-operative discomfort is to avoid standing except for brief periods for the first 2 post-operative days. After that, one can slowly increase activity as long as the post-operative discomfort is decreasing. Remember, even though we place local anesthetic during surgery and pain medications are prescribed for the post-operative period, post-operative discomfort is normal. Swelling and bruising are normal following this procedure and resolve without intervention in about 2 weeks. A padded ice bag applied to the surgical area may be helpful for the first 24 hours.
►You will be sent home with a urethral catheter. That should be removed the morning after surgery. We are happy to do that in the office, but most patients prefer to follow instructions to remove it at home. Call Peggy J. (615) 322-2880, if you feel full and are unable to urinate a few hours after catheter removal.
►Do not lift anything more than 10 pounds for 6 weeks. Once the swelling and discomfort are largely gone you may increase walking. Some people may require as much as six weeks for resolution of discomfort even though they are having a “normal” post-operative recovery.
►You may shower beginning the second day you are home, but do not take a tub bath or sit in water for three weeks. Pat your surgical incision dry after showering. The Steri-Strip tapes or Dermabond glue across your incision should remain on for at least one week. They support the skin closure, but, be assured that an absorbable suture line under the skin is actually holding the incision together.
►Do not drive for one week. You may begin again when you are no longer taking pain medicine.
►Do not have any sexual activity until all swelling and bruising has resolved and the incision is completely healed.
►You may eat the foods you normally eat. If you become constipated, drink eight to ten glasses of water a day and use Milk of Magnesia, which can be bought at any drugstore or grocery store without a prescription.
We plan post-operative appointments at 4 weeks with Todd Doran, P.A.C., our practice Physician’s Assistant, and 3 months later with Dr. Milam. We are happy to see you at any other time if you feel that your post-operative course may not be routine.
Call the urologic surgical practice 24/7 at (615-322-2880) if you have…
● Fever over 101ºF
● Redness or drainage from your incision
● Difficulty urinating
● If you develop urinary retention a urethral catheter can be placed without risk to the sling.
