After your surgery with the CHARITÉ® Artificial Disc, it is important that you follow your surgeon's instructions for recovery. Make sure you get and keep your surgeon's name and telephone number.
In most cases, immediately after surgery, your heart and lung function will continue to be monitored, and your doctor will prescribe medicines to control pain and nausea.The average hospital stay for disc replacement surgery patients in the study used to evaluate the CHARITÉ® Artificial Disc was about four days. A nurse will show you how to care for your wound before you are sent home, and your doctor will discuss a program to gradually increase your activity. It is possible that you will be asked to wear a back brace or elastic bandage to support your abdominal muscles after surgery.
Contact your doctor immediately after surgery if:
you get a fever
the wound starts leaking fluids
you have trouble swallowing or breathing
you have trouble urinating
you have new or increased back or leg pain or numbness
