Home > For Patients > Post-Operative Care

If you need to have surgery, you may have some questions about what happens after.

The details of your post operative care will be specific to your condition. This is something we will cover with you in detail in preceding appointments. However, some general aspects of post operative care are covered here.

Rehabilitation

A small percentage of patients may need a short stint of inpatient rehabilitation. If this is required, Neuroaxis will assist in organising  this through the hospital.

Leaving hospital

After your initial recovery, our physiotherapists and occupational therapists will perform in-hospital assessments. They will then advise on your fitness to return home.

Based on these recommendations, you will be guided back home with post-operative instructions. This could include arrangements for inpatient rehabilitation.

Transport home

If you need an ambulance to transport you home, you will need to organise this through the hospital. Your ability to access such services, will depend on whether you have the appropriate cover.

Returning to work after surgery

No two conditions or operations are exactly the same. As such any recommendations on returning to work are individualised to your particular circumstance. Before surgery, Neuroaxis will give you a professional recommendation on a possible return to work time frame. Further, specific recommendations will be made based on your post-operative recovery. In case of TAC and WorkCover patients, Neuroaxis will provide further details to assist in your return to work plan.

Returning to driving

There are a couple of factors which guide the recommendations to return to driving if you’ve had brain surgery. These are the location of the brain that was operated on and the final outcome of the surgery.

Any recommendation takes into consideration the post-surgery guidelines provided by VicRoads. Furthermore, if you have had seizures, you are not legally permitted to drive for a period of one year. Before returning to drive, you will need to seek an opinion and clearance from a neurologist.

Neuroaxis provides recommendations to return to driving for patients of spinal surgery on a case to case basis. This takes into account your recovery process and limitations if any.

Post operative follow up appointments

Before being discharged from hospital, Neuroaxis will book your post operative follow-up appointment. We will also give you forms for any tests you might have to get done before your next follow up visit.