Bunion Surgery Discharge Information

Discharge Advice - Bunion Surgery

Activity guidelines:

You will be placed in a special slipper shoe with a stiff sole. You will be able to bear weight on your heel and so usually you won't need crutches.

You can take your slipper off for resting and bedtime, but do not walk without it.

Elevate your foot above the level of your heart when you are resting, especially during the first two weeks. You will need a few pillows under your leg.

Exercise your ankle to move your calf muscles when you are resting.

You will not be able to drive. If your operated leg is your left and you drive an automatic car, please check with your insurer. It is generally recommended that you do not drive until bone healing, usually 6 weeks.

Hygiene:

During the first two weeks, until the wounds are healed, keep your dressings clean and dry.

For shower or bath you will need to put a waterproof plastic bag (a bin bag usually does well) on your operated leg and seal it around your calf or knee with tape.

Wound care:

• Keep your dressing clean and dry. You will not normally need to change your dressing until the first postoperative visit.

• Should your dressing bleed through, it will be changed or reinforced before your discharge.

Medications:

• You should resume taking your normal medications.

• Take painkillers as directed.

• When taking strong painkillers (Codeine, Tramadol, OxyContin, OxyNorm), you will need to watch out for constipation. Eat plenty of high fibre food and fruit and drink plenty of fluid.

Notify your Doctor if you:

• Develop a fever of 38 degrees or more that lasts 24 hours.

• Have numbness or tingling of your toes.

• Have profuse drainage from your wound.

• Have increased pain despite using painkillers.

• Develop increased swelling of your foot, coolness and loss of colour despite elevating and moving your ankle.

• Develop swelling and pain in your calf, back of the knee or your thigh.

• Develop sudden chest pain and shortness of breath (this could be a sign of pulmonary embolism – please go to the nearest Emergency Department.)