Had surgery on broken ankle today…advice please

[Adviceplease23]

Hi, I am currently in hospital after having surgery (ORIF) earlier today on my ankle.

I have something wrapped around my lower leg (the uninjured limb). I didn’t know what it was, but now I’m a bit more with it I’ve had a look and it’s a flowtron boot, think it’s called an intermittent pneumatic compression device or something like that. Theatre sent me up to the ward with it on. However it is not plugged in, nor has it been at any point since coming up to the ward, which was around 6 hours ago approximately. Should this be plugged in and being used at this time?
Also I haven’t been given my blood thinning injection today that I had been receiving for the last 3 days while waiting for surgery. Should I also have had this? Or is that just for the lead up to surgery?

I shouted to a passing nurse and asked her about the boot a while ago but she said she’s with a patient at the moment and I’ve not seen her since. So I thought I’d check if anyone knew anything about the times it should be being used etc while I'm waiting for someone to speak to me.

By “shouted” I mean that I called out to gain their attention btw. I didn’t shout at anyone!

I can't help with either but i think you need to press your buzzer and speak to a nurse.

Hope you get an answer, and you heal well!

Sorry I can't help but I had ORIF 25 years ago and your thread title made me curious.

Re, the blood thinner, they may well have done that at the end of the surgery so you might not need one on the ward today.

I agree with pp, push your buzzer.

Good luck with the recovery.

Have you got the machine at the bottom of your bed to plug it into?

Sort of looks a bit like a box and will be hanging off the bottom bed rail

Ask to do your injections yourself, if you feel able to, it makes it easier and makes you more in control - well that is what I do anyway.

I just inject it into my leg or stomach fat each time I am in hospital
The staff still have to check you can do it ok and check the drugs are correct etc etc
You may get sent home with them as well unless you are going to be allowed to walk around on crutches or Zimmer or not allowed to

Agree with others press your buzzer to ask

Good luck with your recovery

The surgeon will usually document on the operation note whether to give the injections day of surgery or next day so nurse can check that for you (depends on timing as usually wait 6 hours post op minimum).

usually you would expect to continue to take them for 6 weeks following any operation on the lower limb- especially if you are not weight bearing for some time

The flower on boot should be plugged in, there's should be a unit on the end of the bed.
Heparin injections are not given on the day of surgery.

The boot will squeeze your leg. Some people tolerate it. Others don't.

I buzzed, same nurse came and said well she didn’t know where the lead was for the boot. So I asked her for my blood thinner and she said she wasn’t sure if I needed it.
Asked her if she could possibly try and find a lead for the boot then.
Anyway, she came back and plugged in the boot and gave me the blood thinner so all sorted now.

yes there’s a machine on the end of the bed but it wasn’t plugged into the wall by or anything, but the problem was that there was no lead that connects from the machine to the boot.

Ah I didn’t know about the blood thinner and having to wait 6 hours post surgery, that makes sense!

Sounds like it’s lucky you were able to advocate for yourself. That sounds a bit rubbish, when you’re trying to recover. Hope you recover well.