Bowel surgery Coffs Harbour Health Campus
The aim of this information is to provide information for patients undergoing bowel surgery and/or their family members to help reinforce discussions with your treating doctors.
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) refers to the multidisciplinary team approach to your care before, during and after undergoing major bowel surgery (bowel resection). The team includes your surgeon and anaesthetist as well as the nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists and other team members involved in your care. They all work together with you to reduce the risk of potential complications and to help you achieve a short hospital stay and an uneventful recovery.
You’re encouraged to be an active member of this team and to be in charge of your own journey to recovery.
You’ll be asked to sign a form where you request and give permission for the surgery to take place. The consent ensures you understand the procedure, the need for it, its aims, its potential complications and alternatives, if any.
You may want to consider organising someone to do the housework for a few weeks after your surgery, cooking extra meals and freezing them and/or having a family member to come and stay with you for a few days after you go home.
If you’re the main carer for a family member, arrangements must be made for that care to continue during your absence and recovery. Speak to the social worker, the cancer-coordinator and/or your doctors about available options.