Preparing for Surgery

You should try and optimise your health prior to surgery. Your physician should review any significant medical conditions and Dr Maher will organize you to see the anaethetist prior to surgery if required. If you smoke you should cease 6 weeks prior to surgery and if you are overweight you should try and lose weight.

Perioperative physiotherapy is important and the following has been written by Ruth Sapsford (Physiotherapist at Mater Mothers Hospital )

Movement and exercise which can help you recover after your operation. It is known that a number of women who have prolapse strain regularly to empty their bowels. This aggravates the prolapse. Keeping the spine straight, leaning forward at the hips and letting the abdomen bulge forward as you empty can make emptying the bladder and bowel easier for many women.

Start using this pattern now, before your operation, and continue using it for the rest of your life. As soon as you wake after the operation take 6-8 deep breaths and move your feet and legs up and down 6-8 times every hour. These exercises will help keep your lungs free of secretions and maintain good circulation in your legs until you are walking regularly. When you are allowed to get up, don’t pull on the overhead ring. Instead, bend up your knees, roll onto your side and push yourself up with your arms as you lower your legs to sit on the side of the bed. This puts less strain on the operation area.

When you begin walking, try to stand tall with a straight spine and hold your lower abdominal muscles firm. This helps support your back and your pelvic floor, and is a good pattern for the rest of your life. Rest in lying rather than slumped into a chair. As you recover and do more, remember to tense and hold your lower abdominal muscles and your pelvic floor firm before you bend, lift, cough and sneeze. Check with DR Maher when it is safe to do more vigorous and heavier activities.