The nurse is instructing the male client who has an inguinal hernia repair how to reduce postoperative swelling following the procedure. What should the nurse tell the client?
A. Limit oral fluid
B. Elevate the scrotum
C. Apply heat to the abdomen
D. Remain in a low-fiber diet
Correct Answer: B. Elevate the scrotum.
Following inguinal hernia repair, the client should be instructed to elevate the scrotum and apply ice packs while in bed to decrease pain and swelling. The nurse also should instruct the client to apply a scrotal support when out of bed. In the beginning phases of healing, the body produces extra fluid that helps with the healing process. This fluid brings nutrients and cells that can help tissues repair themselves, and appears as swelling at the site where there was an injury to the tissues (similar to swelling after a sprained ankle). When this swelling sits in one area for a few days, it often turns hard and can feel like a firm lump.
Option A: Limiting oral fluids can cause constipation. Sometimes the swelling is soft and does not seem to go away after surgery. Again, this is most likely due to the body’s normal fluid pooling in the space the hernia used to be. If this swelling persists longer than three to six months after surgery, it should be re-evaluated by the surgical team to determine if hernia has recurred.
Option C: Heat will increase swelling. While most swelling after hernia surgery is normal, it can rarely be an indicator of a complication, including infection and hernia recurrence. Swelling after hernia surgery is rarely a sign of infection. Since infection from hernia surgery occurs less than 1% of the time, swelling is normal the other 99% of the time.
Option D: A low-fiber diet can cause constipation. Pain or swelling that continues to worsen after hernia surgery or pain and swelling accompanied by red discoloration of the skin are signs of infection and require attention by the surgical team.
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