Advice after your nerve block for surgery
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This page has been written to help answer any questions you may have following your surgery and once you get home.
Before being discharged you will be given your discharge paperwork, painkillers and laxatives that you have been prescribed.
Medications
Paracetamol
We advise that you take paracetamol regularly as prescribed for as long as it is required but at least for the first three to four days.
Tramadol
This is a stronger painkiller, we advise you take this medication only when you need extra pain relief. Some patients do not need to take any Tramadol, if this is the case, you can give the medication back to any pharmacy for disposal. If you do not tolerate Tramadol, you will be prescribed an alternative painkiller.
Lactulose
As constipation is one of the most common problems after kidney surgery, you will be prescribed lactulose, which is a laxative to take at home. Take this regularly until your bowels return to normal. This could take up to three to four days after surgery, however if you have not had your bowels opened properly for five days then please call for advice or speak to your GP or local pharmacist.
The surgeon will advise you about restarting your regular medications on the ward round after your surgery and this will also be written in your discharge paperwork.
Care of your wounds:
Stitches
Most patients go home with dissolvable stitches and glue to the wounds so they will fall out when ready. It usually takes 10 -14 days for the stitches to dissolve but it’s not uncommon that the ends, which can be visible take a bit longer to fall off. The glue can take up to 4 weeks to come off.
Your wounds do not usually need a dressing over them. Surgical glue has been applied which provides a waterproof cover to the incisions, this glue turns white and flakey and will fall off when ready. Please avoid picking at the glue as doing so can make your wounds sore and cause infection.
It is normal to have some bruising around your wounds after kidney surgery. This may get worse after a couple of days but should slowly settle over the coming week. You may also notice a slight muscle bulge over the wound site which again can be common but should settle over time.
If you have any concerns regarding your wounds, please call the kidney cancer CNS’s, their numbers are at the end of this leaflet.
Showering
You can have a shower on day 2 after your surgery if you feel up to it but just pat the wound dry do not rub it for obvious reasons. Avoid soaking in the bath or going swimming until all your wounds have fully healed and no scabs are remaining.
Activity after kidney surgery
After any surgery, it’s in your best interests to get up out of bed and move around your house, completing some simple self-care tasks. This reduces your risks of developing complications after surgery such as chest infections and DVTs (deep vein thrombosis).
Things to avoid after kidney surgery for the first 4 weeks:
• Driving
• Heavy lifting
• Strenuous exercise
Constipation
Constipation and bloating are common complaints after kidney surgery due to the gas inserted for laparoscopic surgeries, the general anaesthetic you have had and the strong pain killers for managing the pain.
Getting out of bed and moving around is very helpful at resolving these uncomfortable symptoms.
You will be sent home with laxatives, usually Lactulose to take regularly until your bowels have returned to normal. Please take this as prescribed to avoid straining. Please get in touch with the renal cancer CNS team if constipation doesn’t resolve with these measures.
Ongoing wound pain or numbness
Some patients experience prolonged wound pain or numbness which can track down into the groin area on the side of where the surgery took place. This is because some of your nerve endings in the skin of the abdomen have been cut during the surgery. Sometimes this hypersensitivity or numbness settles with time, but it may take several months. Please contact the CNS team or your GP if you experience ongoing issues.
Nausea and / or vomiting
Occasionally after kidney surgery patients may suffer with ongoing nausea and vomiting for the first couple of days. If you are also experiencing persistent bloated abdomen, please get in touch with the renal cancer CNS team, or 111 if out of business hours.
If your bowels have returned to normal and you are experiencing nausea and vomiting, this is likely due to the strong painkillers you are taking, and this is a common side effect of Tramadol. If paracetamol alone isn’t sufficient at managing your pain, and you are experiencing nausea from Tramadol, please make an appointment with your GP as they can prescribe an alternative painkiller.
Tiredness
It’s normal to feel tired after any surgery as you are recovering from major operation, therefore rest is important.
Drop in renal function
Depending on your renal function before your surgery and the type of surgery you have had, sometimes there may be a drop in your renal function after kidney surgery. If required, we will ask you to have a blood test a couple of weeks after surgery to check your renal function.
Follow up
You will be given details of your follow up after surgery usually before you leave hospital, or one of the kidney cancer CNS’s will call to confirm the details with you.
The lesion removed has been sent to the laboratory, it usually takes around 3-4 weeks for the results to be ready for review in the Specialist Renal Multidisciplinary Team Meeting, where your follow up plan will be decided. The recommendations will be discussed at your next appointment. Occasionally the results need to be sent away for further testing so we may have to delay your appointment.
Things to look out for:
If you develop any of the following:
• Blood in the urine
• Fever
• Pain
• Shivering
• Symptoms of UTI (urinary frequency, smelly, cloudy urine)
• Feeling unwell
• Red, inflamed, or oozing wound
• Chest pain / significant cough
• Shortness of breath
Please seek advice from the Kidney Cancer Nurse Specialist in normal office hours.
If out of hours / weekends, please call the Surgical Assessment Unit (SAU) helpline on 0300 613 6960
In an emergency dial 111 or attend your local A&E.
Useful Telephone Numbers / contacts:
Sister Jo Oakley Kidney Cancer CNS 0300 613 2426
Sister Kate Brown Kidney Cancer CNS 0300 613 5804
Surgical Assessment Unit 07990 528 061
FRCC Senior Clinical Admin Officer 0300 613 4450
Appointments 0300 613 4201
Radiology Department 0300 613 4140
Pre-Operative Department 0300 613 2157
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Urology service.
About this information
Service:
Urology
Reference:
Z/052
Approval date:
1 August 2025
Review date:
1 August 2028
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.