Your Recovery: Caring for Yourself at Home

Activities of Daily Living

• Wear clean, loose clothing over your incision.
• Eat a balanced diet. If you have questions about your diet, ask for a booklet about good nutrition from the dietitian.
• Drink plenty of fluids to prevent constipation. Some pain medicines may also cause constipation. 
• The blue dye that is injected to help identify the sentinel lymph node may discolor your urine. Do not be surprised if your urine looks blue or green in color for a few days after your surgery.

Surgical Site Care and Bathing

Leave the gauze dressing on for 48 hours. After this time you may remove the dressing and shower or bathe. Unless otherwise instructed, cleanse your incision once each day, and as needed, with soap and water. Pat it dry with a clean towel. The steri-strip tape is to remain on until the ends have curled and no longer adhere.

When to Call Your Doctor

Be sure to check your incision site daily. Call your physician or nurse immediately if you have any:

• Swelling
• Increased redness or heat
• Increased drainage containing pus
• Bad odor from the wound or drains
• Increased pain or tenderness
• Temperature of 101° F (38°C) or higher

To report symptoms, call the Sarcoma/Melanoma Center

Monday to Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm at (716) 845-3180. 

After hours, weekends, and holidays, please call:

(716) 845-2300 or 1-800-685-6825

Ask for the Sarcoma/Melanoma surgeon on call