He Erxing I. Within 3 days after surgery, affected by surgical injury, drugs, and anesthesia, the patient’s mental state is slightly worse and physical strength is reduced. He Erxing, Department of Spine Surgery, The First Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, recommends bed rest and automatic body position. To learn to use the potty in bed. If the patient’s mental, physical strength and age are appropriate, he or she can also sit to eat, go to the bathroom for a second stool, and brush his or her teeth while standing. Leave a family member or hire a caregiver to be with you. Eat and drink as usual. No over-filling, no ginseng and other tonic products. Second, 4 to 10 days after surgery, the patient gradually recovers and can wear a lumbar brace to get up and move around in between. It is still important to have family members or caregivers around when moving around to prevent falls. During this period, medication is the main treatment. The role of medication is to promote recovery from surgical trauma, prevent wound infection and improve nerve function. The following phenomena may occur: pain or numbness in the lumbar limbs, slight loss of limb strength, fever, wet and loose wound dressing, etc. Most of them are normal after surgery. Just tell the attending doctor to take care of it. The doctor may arrange for a radiograph, the main purpose of which is to document the surgery for reference and comparison at the follow-up appointment. Of course, it will also help to develop a recovery plan. If the wound has normal sutures, they can be removed 10 to 12 days after surgery. If the sutures are removed in an outside hospital, it is recommended that they can be removed no later than 15 days after surgery; some wounds are closed with no-removal sutures and can be discharged without removal. Nutrition can be gradually added, with easily digestible food as the mainstay. Third, 10 to 16 days after surgery. Most patients are discharged in this time period. The attending doctor will explain to you the following: discharge summary. It contains important information such as patient’s hospitalization time, hospitalization number, diagnosis, pathological examination results, precautions, etc. Don’t lose it! Rehabilitation plan. Read it carefully. If you don’t understand anything, be sure to ask the attending doctor for clarification before discharge and learn some special exercise movements. A proper rehabilitation plan will ensure that you recover smoothly and on time! Follow up plan. Follow-up appointments are usually held every 3 months. Your doctor will recommend radiographs, CT scans, etc. to evaluate the fusion and viability of the bone graft. MR exams may be ordered if necessary. Primary care doctor contact information. There is a phone number, WeChat, website, etc. Discharge with medication. Due to hospital prescription regulations, the medication prescribed at the time of discharge may not be enough, so you must ask the doctor to write a prescription for you at the same time. Special photo information and examination information. It is very important to keep these materials for your follow-up visit to the local hospital. The hospital may also keep the bottom, but it is better to keep a copy for yourself. The information may be in the form of films or CDs. This article is published with the permission of Dr. Erxing He.