Patient resources

Wound care and recovery guidelines after your ALIF procedure

What to expect

Following your ALIF procedure, your incision will be located on the abdomen. Mild swelling, bruising, numbness, and tenderness are expected and should gradually improve each day.

Incision care

• Hand Hygiene: Always wash your hands before touching the incision site.
• Water Exposure: Do not submerge the incision in water until cleared by your spine surgeon.
• Dressing: Leave the dressing on for 5 days. After that, it can be removed and you may shower as normal.
• Washing: Gently cleanse the area with mild soap and water while showering, then pat dry. Do not scrub the incision site.
• Steri-Strips / Surgical Glue: Allow them to fall off naturally. This typically takes about 2 weeks. If present after 3 weeks, you may remove them.

Activity precautions

• Wear loose-fitting clothing to prevent irritation. You may cover the incision if it is more comfortable.
• Do not lift anything heavier than 20 pounds for six weeks after surgery.
• After this timeframe, please refer to your spine surgeon's orders for lifting restrictions.

When to contact your provider

Please contact your care team if you experience any of the following symptoms around the incision site:

• Increasing redness, swelling, or warmth
• Drainage
• Fever above 101°F
• Worsening pain

Follow-up care and recovery timeline

Recovery Timeline Notice: After this surgery, it can take up to 9 months for internal tissues to fully heal, tightness to resolve, and for your abdomen to feel "normal again".

*These instructions pertain specifically to Dr. Politz's role in your procedure. Please also follow the postoperative care guidelines provided by your spine surgeon.