After her scheduled abdominal surgery on Monday, Princess Catherine was released from the hospital. Although the precise cause of the extensive procedure is unknown, it is possible that the senior royal will experience side effects for the next six to nine months.
HI! had a conversation with Mr. Shashank Gurjar, a colorectal surgeon and consultant who specializes in both open and keyhole surgery for bowel cancer. Kensington Palace has ruled out cancer as the reason for the Princess’s procedure, but Mr. Gurjar’s knowledge of the subject allowed him to describe what to expect after such a significant surgery.
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“If it’s a major midline procedure, Princess Catherine should be cautious and give herself a solid six weeks to allow the wounds to heal completely. When there are significant wounds, the abdomen is stitched together, and the stitch is meant to last between six and nine months. Therefore, for a good six to nine months following the stitch, patients are still conscious of a pulling sensation in their abdomen.”
“So these are the internal stitches that hold the abdominal wall,” he clarified. The stitches that are visible to you and that the patient will see above are removable stitches. Therefore, in addition to skin glue, we typically use a dissolvable stitch to seal the skin. To help keep the wound closed, you could apply some thin strips across the top.
“The skin itself heals within 48 hours, but the knitting together of the abdominal muscle, which is the sheath of the muscle, that has a stronger stitch which may last a good six months.”
Mr. Gurjar disclosed the three primary areas of recovery that the Princess, akin to any patient recuperating from abdominal surgery, ought to ensure she is concentrating on.
Photo: © Mark Cuthbert
First and foremost, it’s crucial, in my opinion, to acknowledge that you’ve experienced something noteworthy. This is a moment in life. You cannot believe that tomorrow will bring you back. You must allow it some time.
“Nutrition is the next item. Wounds need time to heal, so you need to make sure you’re getting enough nutrition. Thus, you require a well-balanced combination of microelements, multivitamins, and all the other components of a healthy diet. Everything from fats to proteins to carbohydrates. Consequently, a sensible diet.”
“The third thing is to build up mobility bit by bit,” he concluded. For the next two weeks, sitting or lying in bed all day won’t help you get better. That also doesn’t help. Thus, you require awareness that you must begin mobilizing and building up gradually but steadily, as well as insight and nourishment.”
Additionally, Mr. Gurjar maintains a private hemorrhoid clinic at Cosmedics Skin Clinic, located at 41 Harley Street.
