Planning Your Stay in Istanbul for HIPEC: Hospital Days, Follow-Up and When to Fly Home

The spreadsheet had three tabs. One for the surgery itself, one for the apartment, and one, mostly blank, titled simply “flight home?” The woman who built it was helping her brother prepare for cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC, and that last tab was the one she could not fill in. Every forum thread gave a different number of days. Every relative had a theory.

That blank cell is the honest starting point for anyone planning a hospital stay after HIPEC in Istanbul, or anywhere else. The operation is long, the recovery is slower than most people expect, and the answer to “when can I go home?” is not a fixed number. It is a set of milestones that the body has to reach, one at a time.

What follows is a guide to those milestones: what the days on the ward usually look like, what has to be true before discharge, why surgeons care so much about the bowel and the blood clots, and how a sensible travel plan is built around evidence rather than guesswork.

What actually happens during cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC?

HIPEC stands for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy: chemotherapy that is warmed and circulated inside the abdominal cavity rather than given through a vein. On its own, it is only half the story. It is almost always paired with cytoreductive surgery, the painstaking removal of every visible tumor deposit from the lining of the abdomen (the peritoneum) and from any organ surface where cancer has settled.

The sequence runs in two acts. First, the surgical team spends hours inspecting and clearing the abdomen. Depending on how widely the cancer has spread, this can mean removing sections of bowel, the omentum (a fatty apron that hangs from the stomach), the spleen, the gallbladder, or parts of the peritoneal lining itself. Second, with the abdomen still open or temporarily closed around tubes, the warmed chemotherapy solution is pumped in and circulated. Cleveland Clinic describes a solution heated to roughly 41–43°C (about 106–109°F) and left in contact with the tissues for about 60–120 minutes, the exact drug and time chosen by the team for the cancer type.

Why heat? Warmth increases the uptake of chemotherapy into cells and is itself damaging to cancer cells, and placing the drug directly where microscopic disease is likely to remain means tissue concentrations can be far higher than the bloodstream would safely tolerate. After the bath is drained and the abdomen rinsed, any bowel joins are completed and the incision is closed.

The whole operation is among the longest in abdominal surgery. Johns Hopkins describes procedures that commonly last 8 to 14 hours, and sometimes longer. That duration, more than the chemotherapy itself, explains why the recovery is measured in weeks rather than days.

Who is usually offered HIPEC, and who is usually asked to wait?

HIPEC is a treatment for cancers that have spread across the peritoneal surface rather than through the bloodstream to distant organs. Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins list the conditions most often considered: pseudomyxoma peritonei and other appendix cancers, peritoneal mesothelioma, colorectal cancer with limited peritoneal spread, and selected ovarian and gastric cancers. The decision is made by a multidisciplinary team that weighs scans, biopsy results and the patient’s overall fitness.

Two questions dominate that discussion. The first is whether the surgeon believes all visible disease can realistically be removed; HIPEC adds little if large deposits must be left behind. The second is whether the body can withstand an operation of this length. Heart and lung function, kidney function, nutritional state and recent chemotherapy all feed into that judgment.

People are commonly asked to wait, or offered a different pathway, when:

• Scans show disease outside the abdomen, such as in the liver parenchyma or lungs, where surface surgery cannot reach.
• Recent intravenous chemotherapy has lowered blood counts, so the marrow needs time to recover before a second chemotherapy exposure.
• Weight loss or poor appetite suggests nutrition should be built up first, since healing after major bowel surgery depends on protein and energy stores.
• An active infection, uncontrolled diabetes or an unstable heart rhythm would raise anesthetic risk.

Waiting is not a rejection. It is often a signal that the team wants the first operation to be the only one. For travelers, this is also the moment to be honest about logistics: a surgeon who knows you plan to fly a long distance afterward can factor that into timing and the length of local follow-up. The final call, as with every step described here, sits with the treating team.

Hospital stay after HIPEC in Istanbul: what the first 72 hours look like

Most people wake from HIPEC in an intensive care or high-dependency unit, and that is by design rather than a sign that something went wrong. A long operation under anesthesia, large fluid shifts from the heated bath, and the possibility of bleeding from freshly stripped surfaces all mean the first day or two need minute-by-minute monitoring. Johns Hopkins describes a short ICU stay as a routine part of the pathway.

Expect a lot of hardware. A breathing tube is usually removed before or shortly after waking, but a urinary catheter, one or more abdominal drains, a central venous line for fluids and blood sampling, and often a nasogastric tube (a thin tube through the nose into the stomach to drain fluid and relieve pressure) remain. Pain is typically controlled with an epidural or a patient-controlled pump, and the team adjusts this daily; those choices belong to the anesthetic and surgical staff.

Blood tests are drawn frequently. The team is watching kidney function, because some intraperitoneal agents can stress the kidneys; electrolytes, because the bowel and drains lose salts; and blood counts, because the chemotherapy exposure can suppress the marrow over the following week.

The thing that surprises families most is how early movement begins. Physiotherapists usually have patients sitting on the edge of the bed within a day of surgery and standing or shuffling a few steps soon after, lines and all. Early mobilization lowers the risk of chest infection and blood clots, and it is the single most useful thing a patient can contribute to their own recovery in this phase. Being tired, sore and tethered to tubes is normal here. Being still for days is what the team is trying to prevent.

Why does eating take so long after HIPEC?

Ask anyone a week out from HIPEC what they miss, and the answer is often a cup of coffee. The reason the kitchen waits is a condition called postoperative ileus: the bowel temporarily stops its rhythmic squeezing after being handled for hours, and nothing moves until it restarts. Heated chemotherapy on the bowel surface adds to that stunning effect, so ileus after HIPEC tends to last longer than after a routine bowel resection.

The team watches for signs of return, in roughly this order: bowel sounds on examination, passing gas, a reduction in nasogastric drainage, then a bowel movement. Only then does the diet step up, usually from sips of clear fluids to a soft diet over several days. Some patients receive nutrition through a vein (parenteral nutrition) in the meantime, particularly if a large amount of bowel was removed or the ileus is slow.

Nausea is common and is managed with antiemetic medicines chosen by the team. Chewing gum is sometimes offered because it may stimulate gut activity through the same nerve pathways as eating; the evidence for a meaningful effect is modest, and it is a supplement to, not a replacement for, walking and time.

Appetite usually lags behind the bowel. Taste changes, early fullness and a flat enthusiasm for food can persist for weeks, and Cleveland Clinic notes that small, frequent meals are often easier than three large ones. Dietitians on the ward will usually set protein targets, because wound healing and the repair of bowel joins depend on it. Patients who go home underweight and under-fed tend to recover more slowly, so this quiet, unglamorous part of the stay deserves as much attention as the drains.

Drains, lines and wounds: the hardware timeline

Every tube has a job and an exit date, and knowing both makes the ward feel less like a tangle. The nasogastric tube usually comes out first, once stomach drainage falls and gas is passing. The urinary catheter typically follows within the first few days, after the epidural is stopped and the patient is walking to the bathroom. Central lines stay until intravenous fluids, nutrition and frequent blood sampling are no longer needed.

Abdominal drains are the ones patients ask about most. They collect fluid from the raw peritoneal surfaces and act as an early warning system: a change in color or volume can signal bleeding, a leak from a bowel join, or infection. Surgeons remove them when output is low and clear, which for many people is in the second week, though timing varies with how much surface was stripped.

The incision itself runs from the breastbone to the pubic bone in most cases. It may be closed with staples or dissolvable stitches under a dressing. MedlinePlus advises keeping a surgical wound clean and dry, watching for redness that spreads, warmth, increasing pain, or pus, and not soaking the area in a bath or pool until the team says the skin has sealed. Staples, if used, are often removed around 10–14 days after surgery, sometimes at the first outpatient visit rather than on the ward.

Some patients leave with a temporary stoma, an opening on the abdomen through which the bowel empties into a bag, created to protect a bowel join while it heals. Stoma nurses teach care before discharge, and this has implications for travel: supplies, a letter for airport security, and awareness that cabin pressure can increase gas in the bag.

HIPEC side effects and complications to understand before you go

Honest consent conversations before HIPEC cover a longer list than most operations, because the procedure stacks the risks of major surgery on top of a chemotherapy exposure. Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins group the common problems into a few families.

Surgical complications include bleeding, infection in the wound or deep in the abdomen, and leaks from bowel joins (anastomotic leaks), which can require further surgery. Lung problems such as pneumonia or fluid around the lungs are more likely after a long anesthetic and a long incision that makes deep breathing uncomfortable. Blood clots in the leg veins or lungs are a recognized risk after any major abdominal operation, which is why heparin-type injections, compression stockings and early walking are standard on most units.

Chemotherapy-related effects depend on the drug used. Temporary falls in white cells, platelets or red cells typically appear in the first one to two weeks and recover with time, and the team will time blood checks around that window. Kidney strain is a particular concern with some platinum-based agents, so fluid balance is managed closely. Hair thinning is less common than with intravenous chemotherapy because less drug reaches the bloodstream, though it can occur.

Slower, less dramatic effects matter too: prolonged ileus, fatigue that lasts months, altered bowel habit after resection, and, for some, changes in fertility or hormone function if reproductive organs were removed. Rates for each complication vary widely between published series, and no single percentage applies to every patient; the right figures are the ones your own surgical team can quote from their experience and your particular operation. Alternatives, where appropriate, include systemic chemotherapy alone, surgery without the heated chemotherapy, or supportive care, and those options should be laid out neutrally before consent.

How long is the hospital stay after HIPEC in Istanbul? A typical week-by-week view

Published patient information from Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins describes hospital stays that commonly run from about one to two weeks, with a longer stay whenever complications intervene. The table below sets out the usual rhythm. Treat it as a map of what tends to happen, not a schedule anyone can promise; a single complication can shift everything to the right.

Phase	Typical timing	What is usually happening
Intensive or high-dependency care	Day 0 to roughly day 2	Close monitoring, pain control via epidural or pump, fluid and kidney management, first steps out of bed
Early ward phase	Roughly days 2 to 7	Nasogastric tube and catheter removed as bowel recovers; sips progress to fluids; daily walking; blood counts watched
Late ward phase	Roughly days 7 to 14	Soft diet, drains removed, pain managed with oral medicines, stoma teaching if relevant, discharge planning
Local outpatient window	Often one to several weeks after discharge	Wound checks, staple removal, blood tests, pathology discussion, decision on fitness for a long flight
Home recovery	Weeks 3 to 12 and beyond	Gradual return to activity, nutrition rebuilding, fatigue easing, oncology follow-up and any further treatment

Two patterns are worth noting. People who were well-nourished and active before surgery tend to move through the ward phases faster. People who had very extensive resections, or who develop an infection, a leak or a prolonged ileus, can stay three weeks or more and may return to intensive care for a period. Neither pattern is unusual, and neither says anything about how the cancer itself will behave.

For planning purposes, the practical lesson is to book accommodation flexibly and to treat the first flight date as provisional until the surgical team confirms it.

What has to be true before the ward lets you leave?

Discharge after HIPEC is a checklist, not a date on a calendar. Surgical teams tend to want all of the following in place, and the order in which they fall into place varies from person to person.

• The bowel is working: gas and stool are passing, and a soft or regular diet is being tolerated without significant nausea or vomiting.
• Pain is controlled with medicines taken by mouth, with no epidural or intravenous pump in use.
• Drains are out, or, occasionally, a single drain remains with clear instructions and a plan for removal in clinic.
• The wound is clean, with no spreading redness, and the patient or a companion can manage dressings.
• Blood tests are stable or improving, particularly kidney function and blood counts, with a plan for the next check.
• Walking is independent, including stairs if the accommodation has them.
• Temperature has been normal for a sustained period.
• Any stoma is being managed confidently, and supplies have been arranged.

Before leaving, ask for a written discharge summary in a language you can read, including the operation performed, organs removed, the chemotherapy agent used, complications, and the medicines prescribed. Cleveland Clinic recommends keeping this kind of record for any clinician you see later, and for a traveler it is close to essential. If the medicines include an anticoagulant to prevent clots after discharge, the prescribing team sets how long it continues; many units extend this for several weeks after major abdominal cancer surgery because the clot risk persists beyond the hospital stay. Nothing on that list should be stopped, started or adjusted on your own.

One more practical item: confirm who to contact, by phone or message, if something changes after hours in the days immediately after discharge. Knowing that number before you leave the ward removes a layer of anxiety from the first night out.

The local follow-up window: why teams ask you to stay nearby first

Leaving hospital and leaving the city are different events, and after HIPEC they are usually separated by days to weeks. The reason is simple: the complications that matter most in the second and third weeks, deep infection, a slow bowel leak, a wound that opens, a clot, are far easier to manage by the team that performed the operation than by an emergency department thousands of miles away reading an unfamiliar operation note.

What happens during that window tends to be routine. A wound check and staple or stitch removal, usually around 10–14 days after surgery. A blood test to confirm counts and kidney function are recovering from the chemotherapy exposure. A conversation about the pathology report, which describes exactly what was removed and whether cancer remained at the margins; this often shapes the plan for any further systemic chemotherapy once home. Sometimes a scan if symptoms are unclear.

Accommodation choices matter more than people expect. Ground-floor or lift access, a bathroom close to the bed, a kitchen for small frequent meals, and a short, flat walk outside for the daily mobility routine make the difference between recovery and stagnation. A companion is close to essential in this phase, not for nursing, but for carrying bags, noticing changes, and making the call if something feels wrong.

Build the daily routine around three things: walking several short distances a day rather than one long one, protein at every meal or snack, and the breathing exercises taught on the ward, which keep the bases of the lungs open after a long incision. The team will say when the follow-up has reached the point where travel can be discussed, and that conversation, not a pre-booked ticket, should decide the departure date.

Flying after HIPEC surgery: clot risk, cabin pressure and timing

No guideline sets a universal number of days between HIPEC and a long-haul flight, and anyone quoting one is simplifying. What the evidence does establish is the shape of the risk. The NHS lists major surgery and cancer among the strongest risk factors for deep vein thrombosis, a clot in a deep leg vein that can travel to the lungs, and notes that long journeys of more than about three hours by plane, car or train add to that risk. After HIPEC, all three factors stack.

Teams therefore weigh several questions before agreeing a flight date. Is the wound sealed and the bowel reliably working, so that a problem in the air is unlikely? Have blood counts recovered enough that an infection would not catch a defenseless immune system? Is the patient walking well enough to move around the cabin? Is any prescribed anticoagulant continuing, and for how long? Many surgeons prefer to see several weeks of stable recovery before a flight of many hours, and longer after a complicated course, but the individual decision is theirs.

Once a date is agreed, the mobility basics apply, as described by the NHS and Mayo Clinic for anyone at raised clot risk:

• Walk the aisle at least once an hour when the seatbelt sign allows, and flex the ankles and calves while seated.
• Wear properly fitted graduated compression stockings if the team recommends them.
• Keep hydrated with water and limit alcohol, which worsens dehydration.
• Choose an aisle seat so moving is easy, and avoid crossing the legs for long periods.
• Carry the discharge summary, medicine list and a letter explaining any stoma or injectable medicines.

Cabin pressure is set to roughly the equivalent of a moderate altitude, which lets gas in the bowel expand; this is uncomfortable rather than dangerous for most, but a reason to avoid flying while the bowel is still sluggish. Ask the airline about medical clearance requirements, since many request a fitness-to-fly form after recent major surgery.

HIPEC recovery time at home: what weeks 3 to 12 usually feel like

The ward teaches you to walk; home teaches you to be patient. Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins describe a return toward normal activity over roughly two to three months, and many patients say the fatigue outlasts every other symptom. This is not weakness or a sign of failure. It is the metabolic bill for a long operation, a chemotherapy exposure and weeks of reduced eating, and it settles gradually.

A few patterns recur. Energy comes back in a sawtooth rather than a straight line, with good days followed by flat ones. Appetite returns before the ability to eat large meals, so small plates remain the rule for weeks. Bowel habit can be looser, more frequent or less predictable after resections, and settles over months. The abdominal wall feels tight and sometimes numb along the scar, which is normal as nerves recover.

Activity should expand steadily. Walking is encouraged from the start and can lengthen each week. Lifting anything heavier than a light bag is usually discouraged until the team is satisfied the abdominal wall has healed, since straining raises the risk of an incisional hernia through the long scar. Driving waits until an emergency stop would not cause pain and no sedating medicines are in use. Return to work depends on the job and is usually a conversation at a follow-up visit.

Oncology follow-up at home should be arranged before departure, not after. Hand the local oncologist the full discharge summary and pathology report; the plan for any further systemic chemotherapy, and the scan schedule for surveillance, is theirs to set alongside the operating team. Nutrition support, a physiotherapy program and, for some, counseling for the emotional aftermath of a major cancer operation are all reasonable things to request.

What people often get wrong about the hospital stay after HIPEC

Myths cluster around HIPEC because it is unfamiliar, and a few deserve direct correction.

“The chemotherapy is the hard part.” In practice, the surgery is. The heated bath lasts around an hour or two; the cytoreduction can take most of a working day, and it is the extent of organ removal that drives the length of stay and the recovery.

“If I feel fine at day ten, I can fly at day eleven.” Feeling fine on the ward is not the same as a sealed wound, recovered blood counts and a bowel that tolerates cabin pressure. Some of the most serious complications, including deep abscesses and bowel leaks, declare themselves in the second or third week. The local follow-up window exists precisely to catch them.

“Resting is recovering.” Lying still after major abdominal surgery raises the risk of pneumonia and blood clots; the NHS and Mayo Clinic both list immobility as a key clot risk factor. Walking, little and often, is the treatment.

“Hospital stay length tells you how well the operation went.” Length of stay reflects complications, the amount of bowel removed and individual healing speed. It says nothing about the pathology result or long-term outlook, which are separate conversations.

“Once the drains are out, nothing can go wrong.” Drains are an early-warning tool, not a guarantee, and infections or fluid collections can still develop after removal. Fever, worsening pain or a change in the wound after discharge needs the same urgency as it would on the ward.

“Online timelines from other patients apply to me.” Two people with the same diagnosis can have very different operations. The only timeline that matters is the one the operating team describes for the surgery you actually had.

Questions to ask your care team before and after HIPEC

Good questions turn a daunting admission into a plan. These are the ones that experienced patients and nurses tend to wish had been asked earlier, grouped by moment.

Before surgery

• Which organs or sections of bowel might be removed, and how would that change my recovery and eating?
• Is a temporary stoma possible, and will I be taught to manage one beforehand?
• Which chemotherapy agent is planned, and what effects on kidneys or blood counts should I expect in the following weeks?
• How long do your patients typically stay in hospital after this type of operation, and what tends to extend it?
• How many weeks of local follow-up do you usually ask for before a long flight?

On the ward

• What milestones are you waiting for before each tube or drain comes out?
• How will my pain control change as I move from epidural to oral medicines?
• What protein and calorie targets should I aim for, and who can help if I cannot reach them?
• Which blood results are you watching, and when is the next check?

Before discharge and travel

• Can I have a written discharge summary and the pathology report in a language I can read?
• Which medicines continue at home, especially any clot-prevention injections, and who decides when they stop?
• What are the specific signs that should bring me straight back to you, and how do I reach the team out of hours?
• Do you need to complete an airline fitness-to-fly form, and what would make you postpone the flight?
• Who should my oncologist at home contact if they have questions about the operation?

Write the answers down. Memory after anesthesia and during a long recovery is unreliable, and a companion holding the notebook is worth more than any app.

When to call your doctor: red-flag signs after HIPEC

Most of the aches, tiredness and digestive unpredictability after HIPEC are expected. A smaller set of signs are not, and they warrant a same-day call to the surgical team, or emergency care if the team cannot be reached quickly. Cleveland Clinic, MedlinePlus and the NHS describe the following as warning features after major abdominal surgery and in people at raised clot risk.

• A fever, shaking chills, or feeling suddenly and unexpectedly unwell, which can signal infection or a leak from a bowel join.
• Abdominal pain that is new, severe or steadily worsening rather than easing, or an abdomen that becomes swollen and tense.
• Persistent vomiting, inability to keep fluids down, or no gas or stool passing for a prolonged period after it had restarted.
• Wound changes: spreading redness, warmth, pus, foul smell, or edges that separate.
• Drain fluid that turns cloudy, green, or feces-like, or bleeding that soaks dressings.
• Swelling, pain or warmth in one calf or thigh, which may indicate a deep vein thrombosis.
• Sudden breathlessness, chest pain that is worse on breathing in, or coughing up blood, which can indicate a clot in the lungs; this is an emergency.
• Passing very little urine, or urine that is dark despite drinking, which may signal kidney strain or dehydration.
• Unusual bruising, bleeding gums, or black stools, which can reflect low platelets or bleeding.
• Confusion, fainting, or a racing heartbeat at rest.

In transit, these same signs apply, and cabin crew can arrange medical assistance or a diversion if needed; this is one more reason the discharge summary should travel in hand luggage. Once home, any of these features should be reported to the local oncology or surgical team the same day, with the operation note in hand so that they can act on accurate information. When in doubt, call. Surgical teams would far rather hear about a false alarm at two in the morning than a real complication a week late.

Frequently asked questions

How long is HIPEC surgery?

The combined operation commonly lasts 8 to 14 hours, according to Johns Hopkins, and occasionally longer. Most of that time is cytoreductive surgery, the removal of visible tumor from the peritoneal lining and organ surfaces. The heated chemotherapy itself circulates for about 60 to 120 minutes near the end. Families should plan for a full day of waiting and expect the patient to go to intensive care afterward rather than a standard ward.

How many days will I be in hospital after HIPEC?

Typically one to two weeks, based on patient information from Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins, including a day or more in intensive care. Stays extend to three weeks or more when complications such as infection, a leak from a bowel join or a prolonged slow bowel occur. The exact figure for your operation depends on how much was removed and how your body responds, so treat any number as a range.

When can I eat normally again after HIPEC?

Usually not for at least a week, and full appetite takes longer. The bowel pauses after surgery and heated chemotherapy, so the team waits for gas and stool before advancing from sips to fluids to a soft diet over several days. Small, frequent, protein-rich meals are often easier for weeks afterward. Some patients need intravenous nutrition in the meantime; a dietitian on the ward will set targets.

What are the most common HIPEC side effects?

The frequent ones are a slow bowel with nausea, fatigue, wound and chest infections, temporary falls in blood counts in the first one to two weeks, and kidney strain with some chemotherapy agents. More serious but less common problems include bleeding, leaks from bowel joins and blood clots. Rates vary between published series, so ask your surgical team for figures specific to their practice and your operation.

Is flying after HIPEC surgery safe?

It can be, once the surgical team confirms the wound has sealed, the bowel is working, blood counts have recovered and any clot-prevention plan is in place. Major surgery, cancer and journeys over about three hours each raise clot risk, according to the NHS, so timing is individual. On the flight, walk hourly, flex the calves, stay hydrated, wear stockings if advised and carry your discharge summary.

How long after HIPEC do I need to stay near the hospital?

Usually until the first outpatient checks are done, which often means days to several weeks after discharge. During that window the team removes staples around 10 to 14 days after surgery, checks blood counts and kidney function, reviews the pathology report and watches for late complications such as abscesses or bowel leaks. The surgeon decides when that follow-up has progressed far enough to discuss travel.

What is the typical HIPEC recovery time at home?

Return toward normal activity commonly takes about two to three months, as described by Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins, and fatigue often lingers longest. Walking expands week by week, heavy lifting waits until the abdominal wall has healed, and bowel habit settles over months after resections. Oncology follow-up and any further chemotherapy should be arranged with a home team before departure, using the full operation report.

Why do I need blood thinners after HIPEC?

Because major abdominal surgery, cancer and reduced mobility each raise the risk of deep vein thrombosis and lung clots, and after HIPEC all three overlap. Many units prescribe injectable anticoagulants, which slow the clotting cascade, during the stay and for some weeks after discharge. The prescribing team decides the duration, and these medicines should never be stopped early or adjusted without their instruction.

Will I have a stoma after HIPEC?

Some patients do, usually as a temporary measure to protect a bowel join while it heals, and surgeons try to discuss this possibility before the operation. Stoma nurses teach bag care before discharge. For travelers, a stoma means arranging supplies, carrying a letter for airport security and knowing that cabin pressure can increase gas in the bag. Reversal, if planned, is a separate later operation.

Does a longer hospital stay after HIPEC mean the surgery went badly?

No. Length of stay mostly reflects how much bowel or how many organs were removed, whether a complication such as infection or ileus occurred, and individual healing speed. It is separate from the pathology result, which describes how completely the cancer was removed, and from longer-term outlook. Those are discussed at follow-up with the operating surgeon and your oncologist, not inferred from the calendar.

References

• NHS: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• MedlinePlus: Surgical wound care – open

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor about your individual situation.