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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Coccygectomy is surgery to remove an unstable, dislocated, or broken coccyx after an injury. The coccyx is a small bone shaped like a triangle that forms the bottom of your spine.
WHILE YOU ARE HERE:
Before your surgery:
- Informed consent is a legal document that explains the tests, treatments, or procedures that you may need. Informed consent means you understand what will be done and can make decisions about what you want. You give your permission when you sign the consent form. You can have someone sign this form for you if you are not able to sign it. You have the right to understand your medical care in words you know. Before you sign the consent form, understand the risks and benefits of what will be done. Make sure all your questions are answered.
- An IV is a small tube placed in your vein that is used to give you medicine or liquids.
- General anesthesia will keep you asleep and free from pain during surgery. Anesthesia may be given through your IV. You may instead breathe it in through a mask or a tube placed down your throat. The tube may cause you to have a sore throat when you wake up.
During your surgery:
You will lie face down with your hips and knees slightly bent. The cheeks of your buttocks will be separated and kept open with surgical tape. An incision will be made on your lower back, a few inches above the opening of your anus. Tissues and muscles will be cut and separated to reach the damaged or broken coccyx. Your healthcare provider will remove all or part of your coccyx. Blood vessels, nerves, and ligaments near the coccyx will be checked and repaired if they are damaged. A drain may be placed to drain fluids from the area. Your wound will be closed with stitches. The bones of your coccyx that have been removed may be sent to a lab for tests.
After your surgery:
You will be taken to a room to rest until you are fully awake. You will be monitored closely for any problems. Do not get out of bed until your healthcare provider says it is okay. You will then be able to go home or be taken to your hospital room. A bandage will cover your stitches. This bandage keeps the area clean and dry to help prevent infection. A healthcare provider may remove the bandage soon after your surgery to check the area.
- Antibiotics help prevent a bacterial infection.
- Antinausea medicine helps calm your stomach and prevents vomiting.
- Pain medicine may be given. Do not wait until the pain is severe before you ask for more medicine.
You could have trouble breathing, bleed more than expected, or get an infection. You may need to have surgery done again if you get an infection. Nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, muscles, and bones may be damaged during surgery. After surgery, you may have tingling or numbness in the area where surgery was done. You may still have pain or have trouble going back to your usual activities, including sports. You may get a blood clot in your leg or arm. This may become life-threatening.
CARE AGREEMENT:You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your caregivers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.
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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.