How long should one stay in bed after teratoma surgery?

Generally, the bed rest period after teratoma surgery lasts 1–3 days, with the exact duration depending on the surgical approach and individual recovery. Minimally invasive surgery allows for faster recovery and shorter bed rest, while traditional open surgery requires a slightly longer resting period. Detailed analysis is as follows:

Laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery is now widely used. It involves small incisions and minimal trauma. Patients can turn in bed within 6–8 hours after surgery and may get out of bed for light activity on the first day. Typically, only 1–2 days of bed rest are required. This approach results in less bleeding and milder postoperative pain. Early mobilization helps prevent lower limb thrombosis, promotes gastrointestinal function recovery, and reduces postoperative complications.

If an open abdominal surgery is performed due to a large tumor size or special tumor location, the abdominal incision is larger and postoperative pain is more significant, requiring 2–3 days of bed rest. Patients should remain in bed until pain subsides and vital signs stabilize, then gradually begin getting out of bed under medical guidance. Elderly patients, those with poor physical condition, or those experiencing postoperative fever or bleeding may need an extended bed rest period to ensure stable recovery.

During the bed rest period, keep the surgical wound clean and dry to prevent infection. Simple limb exercises such as leg flexion and extension can be performed in bed. When beginning to get out of bed, follow the principle of gradual progression—start by standing beside the bed and slowly increase activity levels over time.