Postoperative Care Instructions for Mitrofanoff

These instructions are general guidelines and specific changes or instructions for each patient may differ. Please follow instructions given by the surgeon and CHOC Urology Center staff.

Thank you for choosing CHOC for surgery. Mitrofanoff creation procedures are performed in an operating room and are completed on an inpatient basis. Patients will require about a three- to five-day stay in the hospital after surgery.

Diet

Patients only consume clear liquids immediately after surgery and then progress to a regular diet as tolerated. The anesthesia can cause some stomach discomfort and nausea.

Pain management

Patients will be managed for pain while in the hospital. Patients may be sent home with Tylenol #3 to be taken as needed for pain. If the doctor prescribed Tylenol #3 (with codeine) tablet or elixir, please try to give it to the patient as little as possible because codeine can cause constipation, which can be painful. Miralax is an over the counter stool softener and can be used to relieve constipation if it occurs. Whenever possible, try to use Ibuprofen (also known as Motrin or Advil) instead of the Tylenol #3. Do not take Tylenol #3 and Tylenol at the same time – this can be an overdose and is harmful. If needed, Ibuprofen and ONE Tylenol product can be taken within the same time period. Please contact the CHOC Urology Center with any questions regarding dosage and timing of pain medication after surgery.

Incision care

The child’s post operative care will take place while in the hospital by the CHOC medical staff. Patients will be sent home with a catheter drain through the Mitrofanoff, which will stay in place for about a week so the Mitrofanoff can heal properly. Patients may also be sent home with a suprapubic tube, which will also drain urine from the bladder. This is to make sure that the child will always be able to have his or her urine drained from the bladder. The tube from the Mitrofanoff will be removed at the CHOC Urology Center by one of our medical providers who will also demonstrate the proper technique for catheterizing the Mitrofanoff. Once the child’s caregiver is able to catheterize the Mitrofanoff without difficulty, one of our medical providers will remove the suprapubic tube in the office.

Activity Restrictions

For two to three weeks after the surgery the child should avoid trauma to the surgical area and avoid rough-housing, contact sports, bicycle riding or physical education. Further activity restrictions will be provided to you upon your child’s discharge from the hospital.

Catheterizations

The patient will resume clean intermittent catheterizations. Caregivers will be instructed how to do the catheterizations and how often to do it, before being discharged from the hospital. The catheterizations will allow the child’s bladder to empty on a regular basis. Learn more about clean intermittent catheterizations.

For more information on how to prepare children of all ages for surgery and what to expect the day of surgery, please read our comprehensive surgery guide.