Pre and Post Operative Care
How do my child and I prepare for the procedure?
We encourage good communication between you and your child about the procedure, the reason for it and ensuring them that you will be close by the entire time. Holding them or their hands until they leave for the procedure is a great way to provide support.
You will be given specific instructions along the way but you may need to arrive a few hours before the scheduled procedure to have some blood tests done. When you arrive at the hospital, a doctor will review the procedure and associated risks, after which you will sign a consent form. When we are ready to get started with the procedure, a nurse will place an intravenous line to deliver sedating medications and you will be allowed to accompany your child in the operating room until they are asleep, after which you will be escorted to a waiting room.
What should we expect after the procedure?
Nurses will monitor your child in the recovery area for 4-6 hours for successful recovery from anesthesia and any immediate complications. Depending on the biopsy location, your child may experience some discomfort, which we will provide medication for. Laboratory tests looking at the blood may also be ordered to ensure a safe recovery.
When will my child be able to start bathing or swimming?
The dressing and bandage covering the skin must stay dry for 48 hours and you may sponge bathe your child during this time. Your child may resume showering after 48 hours but may not submerge themselves under water for one week. Allow the white strips covering the biopsy site to fall off naturally or you may take them off after one week.
When can my child resume normal activity?
We recommend complete bed rest for the remainder of the day after the biopsy. The next day, your child may resume normal light activities school-going or daycare attendance but must refrain from intense physical activity like contact sports and rough playing for one week.
CONTACT CNMC IMMEDIATELY IF YOUR CHILD EXPERIENCES ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
• Redness, pain, swelling, or bruising at the needle insertion site.
• Fever higher than 101o Fahrenheit or 38o Celsius.
• A change in color or temperature to the associated extremity.
• Numbness, swelling, or pain of the associated extremity.
The department of Interventional Radiology can be reached at: 202-476-3791, Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
At all other times please call 202-259-8643, which is the on-call pager. Follow the instructions and wait for a call back.