Exact Answer: 48 Hours
With each passing day, medical science is making discoveries to help people live a longer and healthier life. The improvement is remarkable. But there are still several diseases for which no medicine or cure has been found. Keyhole surgeries are one of the important improvements in medical science. It can help to cure as well as let people know if they are suffering from any kind of disease.
Keyhole surgeries have become common in the 21st century. Generally, the doctor advises avoiding getting wet after getting a keyhole surgery. The best thing is to wait for at least 48 before getting a bath. The stitches should be carefully taken care of so that no damage is done.
How Long After Keyhole Surgery Can You Have A Bath?
| Type | Time |
| Small Keyhole Surgery | 12 Hours |
| Large Keyhole Surgery | 48 Hours |
Keyhole surgeries end up giving the person stitches in the place where the surgery is done. In any kind of surgery, the skin is opened up for the doctor to examine the cure the patient’s condition. All this is done by making the patient unconscious so that he or she does not have to endure the pain of getting operated on. As the cuts made during the surgery will be fresh, the best thing is to avoid having a bath for at least 48 hours.
If the cuts and stitches come in contact with water, it may mess up the stitches and the cuts may take a longer time to heal. Sometimes due to the loosening of the stitches, bleeding can occur. Within the mentioned time, the cuts will be dried up to a certain point where coming in contact with water will not harm them much. During this time it is better to get rest than to work.
The time gap depends on the type of keyhole surgery. If it is small keyhole surgery and the doctor can do perform the job with minimal cuts, then the patient can have a bath after 12 hours of the surgery. But if the surgery is a serious one and takes longer to perform, then the 48 hours time gap should strictly be followed. This will be mentioned by the doctor upon completion of the surgery.
Keyhole surgeries that are performed in the abdomen region are termed laparoscopic surgery. During this, a small camera is placed inside the abdomen by surgical incisions, to diagnose the problem that the patient is suffering from. On the other hand, when keyhole surgery is performed on the thoracic region, it is called thoracoscopic surgery.
Why Does It Take Long For Having A Bath After Keyhole Surgery?
The third law of Newton states, “For every action in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction”. In the case of keyhole surgery, the equal reaction is the motive for which the surgery is performed and the opposite reaction is the time for which the patient cannot have a bath. The rule is absolute and not following it will only cause a problem for the patient.
Even though a 48-hour window is there, it is sometimes better to wait a little longer than that. It is fine for the patient to have a shower after 48 hours of a keyhole surgery but sometimes bathing should be avoided. It is because in case of taking a shower the water flows down the body, but while taking a bath, especially in a bathtub, can cause soaking by the stitches which is not good.
The time for having a bath is not long and is completely normal under the circumstances that are mentioned above. After performing surgery, the doctor does not immediately discharge the patient. He or she is kept under observation and proper care is taken of that person. The doctor sees that all the things are performed properly. It is after 2-3 days after the surgery that the doctor releases the patient.
Within the 2-3 days before discharge, the doctor does not let the patient take bath. It is well known by the doctor that if the patient is discharged then he or she may take a bath at home as it is quite irritating to not be able to take a bath and get cleaned. So the doctor uses all the methods up his sleeve for the betterment of the patient.
Conclusion
While performing the keyhole surgery, not only the doctors but the patient also has to take a few precautions. Even though it might be mentioned beforehand by the doctor but the patients must do as the doctor says. The patient has to stop eating and drinking for at least six to twelve hours before the surgery. Not only this, but the patient also has to stop taking any kind of anticoagulants for a few days beforehand.
Keyhole surgeries are precise and do not require much time. The patient does not have to endure much. But it is always suggested by the doctor to avoid doing any kind of heavy work for a few days after surgery.