Varicocelectomy - Home Care after Surgery
This handout tells you how to take care of yourself when you go home after varicocele surgery.
What to Expect after Surgery
1. For 2 to 3 days, you will feel discomfort at the incision and in the affected side of your scrotum. Pain medicine will be prescribed for you or you may use over-the-counter medicine such as Tylenol®. Be sure to follow the instructions for taking the medicine. After 3 days, the pain should lessen.
2. You may notice increased swelling in your scrotum. This swelling may last for a week.
Incision Care
1. Leave your dressing on for 24 hours. After 24 hours, take it off and leave the incision open to the air. Their will be steri-strips covering your incision. These will fall off on their own in 1-2 weeks. If clothing irritates your incision, put a clean, dry 4 x 4 gauze pad over it.
2. Keep your incision clean and dry for 24 hours. You may shower briefly after 24 hours. Do not soak in a bathtub, whirlpool, hot tub, or swimming pool for 1 week.
3. Check your incision daily. Call your doctor if you notice any of these signs.
- Skin around incision is red and hot.
- Pus-like drainage comes from incision.
- Temperature is over 100.4º F for two readings taken 4 hours apart.
- Incision site is painful after 5 days.
- Bleeding is excessive (that is, the dressing becomes soaked within 1 hour).
- Scrotum swelling lasts longer than 5 days.
Activity Guidelines
- For the first 2 weeks, avoid lifting more than 10 pounds. Do not do strenuous exercise, such as jogging, aerobics, running, jumping, or heavy housework.
- Wait at least 1 week or until no longer sore before resuming sexual activity.
Diet
1. For the first 2 days after surgery, do not drink any alcoholic beverages--beer and wine included. Alcoholic beverages do not mix with anesthesia and may make you sick.
2. The day of surgery, if you feel sick to your stomach, do not eat a full meal. Start out slowly with clear liquids, like tea, broth, or jello. You may add more solid foods to your diet as your nausea goes away.
Follow-Up Care
Your follow-up visit will be scheduled for you before you leave..
Phone Numbers
Monday - Friday call: Urology Clinic (8:00 am to 4:30 pm) (608) 263-4757
Nights and Weekends: The clinic number will connect you the hospital paging operator. Ask for the Urology Resident on call. Give your name and phone number with the area code. The doctor will call you back.
If you live out of the area, please call 1-800-323-8942.
Your medical record number ______________________________________
The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
Last Updated: 03/29/2011
Copyright © 03/29/2011 University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. All rights reserved. Produced by the Department of Nursing. UWH #4620
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