Facial Swelling post-op

[scooter950]

I know- this sounds so vain and trivial - but how much facial swelling did everyone experience post-op?

I realize you are lying face down - they have cushioned support but still, to lie in one position for any length of time will cause pressure ulcers. and subsequent swelling when the pressure is removed. Yikes! yet, when I look at some blogs and see the post-op photos, no one really looked edematous or swollen in their face. I can imagine myself- swollen so much that my eyes are squinting... <sigh> true/ not true? just one extra fear I have, of this surgery... thx for sharing ! Jamie

[JenniferG]

Hi Jamie,

I had facial swelling. I don't know what I looked like, nobody told me, LOL. But I woke up in ICU at about 4.30pm and I couldn't actually open my eyes until around 8am the next morning. I didn't care. I just wanted to sleep.

Actually, I just asked my partner. I looked like a soccer ball. He said when he arrived next day he was surprised to see the swelling had all gone down. My surgery was about 8 - 8.5 hours.

[bluestone]

My surgery lasted 10hrs and I don't remember my face feeling swollen but when my husband came to see me an hour after my surgery he said I did look a little swollen.

[LindaRacine]

I was told that I was unrecognizable. I could have cared less. The swelling was gone in a day or two.

[Wish2bstraight]

Swelling

After three days of surgery, and the third, being a difficult ten hour surgery, I understand my face was not badly swollen, but my hand and legs looked like they belonged to the Michelene (sp?) man. The swelling in my hands went down quicker than my legs. I cannot tell you how long it. Took for the swelling to go down due to the drug induced loss of memory.

[Confusedmom]

My husband said my face was "massive" and you should "expect to look like a balloon." But it was significantly improved 24 hours later and close to normal by the time I checked out of the hospital.

[golfnut]

I had prepared my husband that my face would probably be swollen following surgery. I know this is hard to believe but I don't think I ever asked him until just this minute after reading your post. Like someone else said, I could have cared less. He said that it was definitely swollen, but looked normal by the second day.

[Susie*Bee]

My face wasn't very swollen at all and my actual "surgery time" (not prep or anything) was 8 hours. I don't remember what kind of operating table it is called (Thompson?), but the kind that opens up to allow your stomach, etc., to hang free rather than be pushed against the table, and also if your face is positioned some ways, helps prevents some of the swelling. At least that is what I thought. I know after reading the Wolpert book I had prepared my hubby and family for the worst...

[titaniumed]

I wouldn’t worry about any swelling, eventually it goes down.

This is probably what you will be laying on.....notice all the foam,(tempurpedic) and of course fully adjustable. Now they need to improve the hospital beds.....that’s another subject.

http://www.mizuhosi.com/products/pat...ent-care-kits/

http://www.mizuhosi.com/products/mod...l-surgery-top/

Ed

[scooter950]

geez .....

<gulp>

It is as I feared .... yikes.

You know, when I had an MRI for my breast, I had to lie face down for 45 mins and my face and neck were supported in a padded horse- shoe shaped brace - yet I was aching and ready to get out of that within 10 mins. That's what precipitated this question - it made me wonder about lying face down for a minimum of 8 hrs of scoli surgery would do to me.

I know I'll be on narcotics, and hopefully not remember but oh how i wish the Operating room had pulsating pressure devices that would alternate the pressure and prevent some of the rebound edema. <sigh> Thanks to all who shared- I know it is vain, I know this is trivial compared to the scoli surgery ... but when you are deformed anyway (scoliosis) with other medical issues/ deformities too ... well I just worry how much my husband can take. I feel he got a raw deal anyway - marrying me, I'm not physically active, I can't do many things with him, I can't even sit thru a movie because of the back pain, and now to have to wake up looking like the wife of the Michelin man... oh well, thank \s for sharing your experiences, it is better to know what to expect nd to be prepared rather than be shocked.. peace, Jamie in TX

[scooter950]

skin breakdown

OK but did anyone actually get skin breakdown on their face ? it's the pressure on the face that causes the rebound edema, but it can also cause skin breakdown- think bedsore or pressure ulcer. That's the same process that occurs as your face is pressed against the padded support during surgery .... I don't know why these details worry me so much, I just worry that i will look so repulsive when I am post op... thx for letting me vent my insecurities here ...

[jrnyc]

TiEd....i swear it took a minute to figure out which end was for where....
good you showed a pic of someone ON the table...
never occurred to me the patient's body wouldn't be totally flat...
pix were a surprise to me.

jess

[JenniferG]

Don't worry Jamie, different things concern different patients. As for the facial swelling, it seems to differ for each patient so you might not be bad at all. But if you warn your husband, and let him know it goes down very quickly (overnight for me) he can be prepared. And you know what? I think he'll just be so relieved the surgery's over and you're on your way to recovery, the swelling won't matter to him.

I've never heard of anybody having anything more than facial swelling, no skin problems.

[Confusedmom]

Dr. Lenke has some patients (including me) wear "halos." I don't know exactly what it is because I was never awake with it, but it holds your head in such a way as to relieve pressure on your eyes. Maybe this helps some with the swelling and sores? I did not get any facial sores that I can remember.

I know what you mean about sometimes feeling your spouse got a physically inactive partner. But you (and he) may be pleased that surgery may actually enable you to be more active. Maybe you'll be able to sit through a movie, etc., after you have recovered.

Best wishes,
Evelyn

[jane d]

The "halo" traction that Dr. Lenke also used on me 6 months ago was not to prevent eye pressure problems but to put tension on the spine to get a better correction in the spine. I had some facial swelling but it was expected and no big deal. It resolved in a day or two.
Jane