Diet:
Your child may resume his regular diet when feeling up to it after surgery. You may note some mild nausea and possible vomiting the first 6 to 8 hours following surgery. This is usually due to the side effects of anesthesia and will disappear quite soon. I would suggest clear liquids and a very light meal the first evening following surgery.
Activity:
For 2 weeks after surgery, your child should modify his activities to avoid any trauma to the penis. For older children, this usually means no “rough-housing”, no bike riding, no rollerblading or tree climbing. A good rule of thumb is to keep both feet on the ground for 2 to 3 weeks.
Wound:
After the operation, the head of your child’s penis will be exposed. Because the foreskin is usually adhered to the head of the penis in small children, removing it causes the head of the penis to look a little red for a week or so until the skin toughens up. Foreskin by nature tends to swell very easily, so the penis will probably look puffy and swollen also. This will completely resolve itself over the week following surgery. In most cases, your child’s incision will have multiple sutures that run along the course of the incision. Expect some redness around the sutures. If there is generalized redness, especially with increased pain and swelling, let us know. The penis will very likely get “black and blue” as the blood in the tissues spreads. Sometimes the whole penis will turn colors. The black and blue is followed by a yellow and brown color. In time, this coloration will go away. If there is a clear dressing on and it doesn’t fall off on its own, you can peel it off in the bath after 5 to 7 days.
Hygiene:
You may shower 48 hours after surgery. Tub bathing should be restricted for one week.
Medication:
Your child will probably feel sore for the first day or so after surgery. He will be sent home with Tylenol or Tylenol with Codeine syrup, or tablets, if your child is old enough to swallow them. He may need this for the first night and maybe the first day, but usually children do well on plain Tylenol.
Problems you should report to us:
Fever greater than 100.5 degrees F
Moderate or severe swelling of the scrotum and /or bleeding
Reactions to medication (hives, rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea)
Follow-up:
We would like to monitor his progress.
Call the office within 24 hours to set up the child’s follow-up appointment unless arrangements have already been made.
Please call The Urology Clinic at 541-754-1287 if there are any questions.
After hours call 541-754-1150
