Surgery remains the main method for malignant thyroid tumors, and it carries certain risks. In addition to the surgical process, postoperative observation and care are also very important to minimize the risk of complications.
Postoperative position: After returning to the ward under general anesthesia, the patient should be placed in a supine position with the head facing sideways; After the blood pressure stabilizes or the patient wakes up under general anesthesia, take a semi recumbent position to maintain airway patency, which is conducive to breathing, swallowing, and drainage. Guide patients to maintain a comfortable head and neck position, and use their hands to fix the neck when changing positions, getting up, or coughing to reduce vibration and maintain comfort. During bed rest, one can change positions and perform lower limb extension and ankle pump exercises to prevent deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs. Encourage patients to get out of bed and move around as soon as possible, as the condition allows.
Dietary guidance
For patients undergoing cervical plexus anesthesia, a small amount of warm and cool liquid should be taken from 6 hours after surgery. The first sip should be plain water, and food should not be consumed until there is no coughing. Overheated liquid should be avoided to avoid inducing vascular dilation at the surgical site and aggravating wound bleeding. Gradually transitioning from semi liquid to general diet
Medication guidance
Guidance on deep breathing and effective coughing. If necessary, nebulization inhalation should be performed to dilute the sputum and make it easier to cough up. For those who are afraid or unwilling to cough and expectorate due to incision pain, appropriate analgesics should be used according to medical advice.
Guidance on Drainage Tube Care
Keep the respiratory tract unobstructed and avoid blockage of the drainage tube, which can cause blood accumulation in the neck and result in hematoma compression of the trachea, leading to respiratory obstruction. Silicone drainage balls are routinely placed in the drainage area, and the drainage tube should not be twisted, folded, or compressed. The color and amount of drainage should be observed. 24-48 hours, if the drainage volume is less than 10ml, remove the drainage tube. Notify not to pull the drainage tube when turning over to prevent it from falling off. Pay attention to aseptic operation when pouring drainage fluid, and ensure effective negative pressure state with negative pressure ball. Observe the color, quality, and quantity of the drainage fluid.
Postoperative common symptoms
closely monitor vital signs and pay attention to the occurrence of complications. Understand pronunciation and swallowing conditions, determine if there is difficulty breathing, hoarseness, decreased pitch, swallowing errors, coughing, etc.
1) Pain management: For patients with postoperative incision pain, correct non pharmacological pain relief methods such as distraction should be used; Use a pain pump to continuously pump in pain relieving drugs, or use sedatives or pain relieving drugs.
2) Fever care: Monitor body temperature and accompanying symptoms; Timely check the incision site for redness, swelling, heat, pain or wave sensation; Drink plenty of water; If necessary, follow the doctor's advice to use antipyretic drugs or physical cooling measures such as warm water baths.
3) Nursing of digestive symptoms: The most common cause is anesthesia reaction. When vomiting, the head is tilted to one side to clear the vomit; Deep breathing can alleviate symptoms appropriately for some patients; Medications for treating nausea and vomiting can be used according to medical advice.
4) Urinary retention nursing: stabilize the patient's mood and adopt induced urination, such as changing body position, hot compress on the lower abdomen or listening to the sound of running water; When the above measures are ineffective, sterile catheterization can be performed.
5) Surgical incision care: Keep the incision clean and dry, promptly detect bleeding from the wound, estimate the amount of bleeding, and replace the dressing. Use silicon gel dressing or paste to reduce or improve local scars.
Rest and Activity
Functional Exercise Guide: Guide massage and relaxation of the posterior neck muscles to prevent fatigue. Practice swallowing movements to prevent wound adhesion, such as using acidic plums in the mouth to increase oral secretions.
Successful surgery requires meticulous postoperative care to achieve true success!