After the operation, the patient will return to the ward to recover. He or she will always have some form of pain relief, which can include: epidural which is given through a small space between the bones in the back; nurse- or patient-controlled analgesia (NCA or PCA) which is given through a small plastic needle in the back of the hand. The amount of pain relief given is controlled either by the nurse or the patient. Your child may also have a naso-gastric tube, which is a tube passed through the nose into the stomach, so that he or she can be given feeds or medicines easily. The patient may also have an intravenous (into a vein) infusion of fluids as he or she may not feel like eating and drinking after the operation. You may be able to feel a few lumps under the skin by the wound sites, which are stitches inside the body. This is nothing to worry about and the stitches will dissolve on their own in about three months.
