Postoperative care

Abstract

The postoperative treatment of the patient who has undergone endoscopic removal of the prostate or of a bladder tumor is as important as the operation itself. An efficient nursing force in the hospital where a large amount of this type of work is done, or experienced special nurses in the smaller hospital, are essential to the successful postoperative course. During the first few hours after surgery, constant expert care is needed, and the average general duty nurse in the hospital where only an occasional resection is performed is not able to cope with the situation. Unless the house surgeon or the family physician is versed in the management of these cases, he is of little help, and grave complications may arise even though close watch is maintained. It is better to rely on a special duty nurse with previous experience and training than to entrust these patients to the care of a physician who is not familiar with their idiosyncrasies.