How to Care for Patients after Meningioma Surgery?
After surgery for meningioma, patients often experience significant physical weakness. Proper daily care can help patients recover faster and even resist the invasion of cancer cells. Generally, post-operative care for meningioma requires attention to both daily life and diet.
In terms of daily life, patients can engage in mild exercise and maintain a pleasant mood. As for diet, it is advisable to consume high-energy foods. Here are some specific guidelines:
1. In the first 2-3 days after surgery, patients should fast. If there is posterior cranial nerve dysfunction, nasogastric feeding may be necessary, and intravenous nutritional support should be strengthened. During nasogastric feeding, it is essential to prevent aspiration of gastric contents into the lungs, which can lead to aspiration pneumonia. Oral feeding should be preceded by water tests to ensure that there is no coughing or choking before starting to eat. The nasogastric tube can be removed when the patient is eating sufficiently.
2. After meningioma surgery, it is strictly prohibited to remove the endotracheal tube immediately. The tube should only be removed when the patient is fully awake and has a confirmed and good cough reflex after suctioning. Early tracheotomy is beneficial for post-operative respiration and lung drainage. However, due to the risk of lung infection in patients with prolonged tracheotomy, it is recommended to follow the principle of early incision and early removal. Before removing the tracheotomy cannula, a trial of tube occlusion for 2-3 days should be conducted to ensure that the cough reflex and respiration are unobstructed.
3. If a patient experiences fever on the third day after meningioma surgery, a lumbar puncture examination should be performed. If there is an increase in white blood cells in the cerebrospinal fluid, in addition to administering appropriate antibiotics, lumbar puncture to drain a large amount of cerebrospinal fluid can be an effective treatment.
4. Enhanced post-operative care for meningioma includes turning the patient over, tapping on their back, and encouraging them to cough to facilitate the expulsion of respiratory secretions. Patients should also be encouraged to move their limbs and ambulate as soon as possible. For patients with limb dysfunction, passive exercise of the affected limb and wearing of elastic stockings should be performed, along with the use of antiplatelet agents to prevent the formation of deep venous thrombosis (DVT).
