Surgery for pancreatic cancer - discharge

You had surgery to treat pancreatic cancer.

Now that you're going home, follow instructions on self-care.

All or part of your pancreas was removed after you were given general anesthesia so you were asleep and pain-free.

Your surgeon made an incision (cut) in the middle of your belly. It may have been horizontal (sideways) or vertical (up and down). Your gallbladder, bile duct, spleen, parts of your stomach and small intestine, and lymph nodes may also have been taken out.

Your surgeon will give you a prescription for pain medicines. Get it filled when you go home so you have it when you need it. Take your pain medicine when you start having pain. Waiting too long to take it will allow your pain to get worse than it should.

You may have staples in the wound, or dissolving stitches under the skin with a liquid adhesive on the skin. Mild redness and swelling for the first couple of weeks are normal. Pain around the wound site will last 1 or 2 weeks. It should get better each day.

You will have bruising or skin redness around your wound. This will go away on its own.

You may have drains at the site of your surgery when you leave the hospital. The nurse will tell you how to care for the drains.

Do not take aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), unless directed by your surgeon, as these medicines may increase bleeding.

You should be able to do most of your regular activities in 6 to 8 weeks. Before that:

Your surgeon or nurse will explain how to care for your surgical wound. You may remove the wound dressings (bandages) and take showers if sutures (stitches), staples, or glue were used to close your skin.

If staples were used to close your incision, your surgeon will remove them about a week or so after surgery.

If tape strips were used to close your incision:

Before you leave the hospital, check with the dietitian about what foods you should eat at home.

You'll be scheduled for a follow-up visit with your surgeon 1 to 2 weeks after you leave the hospital. Be sure to keep the appointment.

You may need other cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation. Discuss these with your provider.

Contact your surgeon if:

Debrin JA. Pancreatic cancer: clinical aspects, assessment, and management. In: Jarnagin WR, Allen PJ, Chapman WC, et al, eds. Blumgart's Surgery of the Liver, Biliary Tract and Pancreas. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 62.

Modi B, Shires T. Pancreatic cancer, cystic pancreatic neoplasms, and other nonendocrine pancreatic tumors. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 60.



Review Date: 9/9/2023
Reviewed By: Debra G. Wechter, MD, FACS, General Surgery Practice Specializing in Breast Cancer, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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