How Long Does It Take To Recover from Abdominal Surgery?

Abdominal surgery refers to a wide range of surgical operations that focus on your abdominal cavity, its walls, and the organs that reside inside. Appendectomy, hernia surgery, and cholecystectomy are some examples of abdominal surgery. Every year 500,000 women have a hysterectomy in the US. Open abdominal surgery comprises a huge chunk of it. However, this surgery comes with its own set of risks, and you need to know everything about it before deciding to go under the knife.

Causes of Abdominal Surgery

Abdominal surgery may be needed for various health conditions, like infection, tumors, hernia repair, or even bowel disease. Generally, it’s necessary in case of abdominal cancer.

Causes and Risk Factors of Abdominal Cancer

According to various doctors, stomach cancer starts when a stomach cell’s DNA changes. Although it is unclear what causes stomach cancer, research has discovered a number of risk factors.

The following are some of the factors that enhance the risk of Abdominal cancer:

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Obesity
• A diet lacking fruits and vegetables and high in salty and smoked foods
• Abdominal cancer in the family
• Helicobacter pylori infection
• Inflammation in the stomach for a long time (gastritis)
• Stomach polyps

See Also: What Is Abdominal Surgery: An Overview

Treatment Options for Abdominal Cancer

1. Surgery

We prescribe an endoscopic mucosal resection as a non-surgical treatment for cancer that is in its very early stage (T1a). When the cancer is still in its early stages (stages 0 or I), another surgery is used to remove the cancerous area of the stomach as well as adjacent lymph nodes. A subtotal or partial gastrectomy is the term for this procedure. Abdominal surgery cost ranges from $50,00 to $200,000, depending on the case.

2. Radiation Therapy

External-beam radiation treatment, or radiation delivered from a machine outside the body, is commonly used to treat abdominal cancer.

3. Therapies Using Medication

The use of medication to kill cancer cells is known as systemic treatment. The following are examples of systemic therapy for stomach cancer:

• Chemotherapy
• Targeted therapy
• Immunotherapy

Surgery plus chemotherapy or chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be done if cancer has spread to the outside stomach wall, regardless if it has progressed to the lymph nodes.

See Also: What Are the Symptoms of Endocrine Disorders?

4. Possible Risks During the Surgery

There are some risks associated with abdominal cancer treatment surgery which you should know about, such as:

• Excessive bleeding
• Damage to the bladder, ureters, and bowel (happens in less than 1%)
• Death (very rare, but all surgeries have risks of death)

What Happens Once the Surgery Is Completed?

After Surgery

• Before being brought to your hospital room, you will be taken to the recovery room and observed for a short time.
• You may be put on a liquid diet. You can resume your regular diet once you feel better.
• You may experience cramping or bloating.
• The tube used for your anesthetic may cause a scratchy or sore throat.

After surgery, most patients can return to work after 4-6 weeks. Keep in touch with your doctor. A post-operative appointment with your doctor should be scheduled for 4-6 weeks after surgery. Avoid heavy lifting for at least six weeks (items over 20 pounds).

Final Takeaway

Abdominal cancer can be very painful and fatal if not treated in time. Abdominal surgery, even though it comes with risks, is the best treatment option for abdominal cancer. 

If you are looking for surgical oncology in Anchorage, AK, contact us today. At Far North Surgery, our focus is on the care and treatment of patients with disorders that fall within the wide umbrella of General Surgery, with a special emphasis on colon cancer surgery, surgical oncology, and endocrine surgery. We have the most renowned surgeons here, including Dr. Prasad, who has been nominated for the Best of Anchorage Awards for Cancer Treatment.